


Rukia's Training

by Ometeotl



Category: Bleach
Genre: ABDL, Age Play, Bed-Wetting, Breastfeeding, Diapers, F/F, Infantilism, Non-Consensual Spanking, Non-Sexual Age Play, Violence, Wetting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-22
Updated: 2014-09-15
Packaged: 2018-02-14 07:12:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 79,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2182650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ometeotl/pseuds/Ometeotl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Rukia desires to train her abilities, she ends up working herself ragged, much to the chagrin of Captain Retsu Unohana, who has a very...interesting method of discipline.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Training

The moon shone in the sky on this calm night, basking the land in its modest glow. It seemed as large and bright as it had ever appeared to those observing it tonight, but as it was nearing three in the morning, that number was miniscule. There was probably only one person out in the slight chill of the evening, one who was preoccupied with her own thoughts and reasons for being out to take notice of the details of the night sky. She stood outside the walls of the great city, determining which way would be best to go. Using no particular logic in her determination, the woman headed away from the walled city towards the somewhat wooded area on the outskirts. It took some time, but she managed to find the perfect area for her needs, a clearing on the top of a small cliff face, a drop of about fifty or so feet. It was far enough away from the Seireitei that she could only just sense the reiatsu of the common citizens who lived at the inner edge of the city. Her Shinigami robes billowed a bit in the slight breeze brought about by this chilly night, the sound of her sword being unsheathed being the only other sound.

It was a standard looking katana with a reddish hilt, but that would not last for long. "Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!" Rukia shouted, her voice carrying through the clearing as white reiryoku engulfed her form. The wave of cold wind that spread through the area was not caused by the ambient wind, but the release of energy from releasing her sword. She held her zanpakuto out with the blade parallel to her body, spinning the sword counter-clockwise. The change was nearly immediate; what was once a simple katana was now entirely white, blade, hand-guard, hilt, et al. A long white ribbon extended from the base of her hilt, completing what some had referred to as one of the most beautiful shikai in the Seireitei. Rukia herself did take a good amount of pride in the appearance of her sword, but her mind was currently more set on the fighting prowess and spiritual power of both her and her zanpakuto.

That was why she was here in the dead of night, she desired to train her abilities for as long as it took until she could get to the next state of her sword's release, known as bankai. She needed to grow more, to be able to protect herself and her friends better than she had before, as she could no longer rely on the resolve and strength of Ichigo, now that his powers were…no, she did not want to think about that at the moment, it would affect her concentration, which she would need in spades if she were to successfully complete this training. Unfortunately, she had little idea how to go about training, just knowing that she had to keep using her shikai and her own abilities until she reached that further bond with her sword. "First Dance – Tsukishiro!" Rukia shouted, her sword pointed down towards the ground. Just as when she first released, the blade was glowing white with energy, which immediately dissipated as she slashed the blade at no particular target. On the ground forty feet in front of her, at the bottom of the cliff, a circle with a radius of fifteen or so feet glowed serenely for just a moment or two before freezing over in a layer of pure ice. Before that even had a chance to settle, a column of light shot upwards from the frozen circle and immediately became a tall cylinder of ice that extended into the sky.

Wasting no time, Rukia quickly turned around and looked towards the trees near her. "Second Dance – Hakuren!" Rukia stabbed the ground with the tip of her sword and repeated that process thrice, more reishi particles trailing towards her sword with each stab. With a release of energy, a wave of freezing reishi swept over her and towards the trees she had aimed for, freezing everything it touched except for the Shinigami herself. The frozen path was solidly covered in clear ice, as pristine as the color of the blade that had caused the attack in the first place. It was an impressive display of her power, but it was just the start for the determined spirit. To unlock the power that was held within, she would have to show off all the power that she had, no time for breaks or rest.

True to her word, Rukia continued training as the sun came up and as it went back down again, not slowing down due to fatigue, hunger, thirst, pain or other needs. The field was covered in pillars of ice, some still intact, others shattered into chunks or cut down the middle. The rest of the area was completely covered in ice, many times over, looking more like a lake in the middle of a frozen tundra as opposed to the grassy area it had been the day before. Rukia herself had bags under her reddened eyes, her hair unkempt as if having suffered through a windstorm, beads of sweat from her overexertion streaming down her face and arms; she generally looked like she had been through hell. Her arms and legs trembled, the latter barely able to support her tired body now. Every muscle ached to rest, but no rest seemed to be in sight. As far as she was concerned, she was no closer to learning about her bankai than when she had started.

"Please, that's enough for now." A gentle voice pleaded, placing a hand on Rukia's shoulder as if she had been there the entire time. Her long hair was pale lavender in color, her skin similarly pale but white in tone, while her eyes were a blue shade that were similar to Rukia's own. Just like the Shinigami, a long bang of hair fell across the center of the woman's face, except in the opposite direction. Her clothing suited the appearance of a classic Yuki-onna just as much as the rest of her, a set of flowing white robes with sleeves far longer than the arms they held, almost like a child playing dress-up. Her spectral presence seemed to float a few inches of the ground, a cold mist slowly radiating from where she stood. "I can't…not yet…I'm still no closer to unlocking my-your power." Rukia replied, not even slowing down as she addressed the woman. "This is foolish and entirely unhealthy!" Sode no Shirayuki continued, her countenance displaying a mix of concern and anger. Rukia said nothing and merely continued her training, generating another pillar of ice in front of her as if it had become as common as breathing. It was not a sign that she was closer to a new release, just that she had grown tired of announcing the name of her attack before releasing it, even if the spirit in her sword did not appreciate that gesture. "I refuse to speak to you if you are going to act as stubborn as a child." The spirit calmly stated, fading away as she drifted her form back into the sword that the Shinigami was so desperate to master. Rukia paid her little mind, merely appreciative of the lack of what she felt had been nagging.

-~-

Elsewhere in the Soul Society, another Shinigami was looking over papers on her desk, signing them away with the due diligence her job required. "Okay Captain, I'll get these forms over to the processor before he clocks out for the night." Another Shinigami commented, shuffling the papers into the folder in her arms. "Yes, thank you, Isane. Be prompt about it, but don't stress yourself." The Captain advised, standing up and giving her Lieutenant a slight smile. Isane gave her a customary bow of recognition and hustled out of her Captain's office, glad that she was one simple task away from the end of the work day. Captain Retsu Unohana was also glad that the work day was over with, but that was not something she would ever admit to her subordinates. It was her job to lead these people as a figure to aspire to, which would never happen if she fostered an atmosphere of laziness and light-working.

It took only a glance for Retsu to verify that the office was as it should be, nothing askew even slightly. Her graceful figure left the office and headed for her quarters in this, the fourth division of the Court Guard Squads. As the Captain of the division, Unohana's days were long and days off were nearly non-existent. Especially as her division was responsible for healing and ran the hospital of the Soul Society. Just like in the world of the living, a hospital never closed, people always got sick or injured and needed help. Unohana usually arrived early in the morning and left late at night, with only her Lieutenant and assistant Isane Kotetsu clocking even close to the same amount of hours. That was why she enjoyed the nights so much, it was a time where she could just relax for a few short minutes before she had to actually go to sleep.

Her quarters were not too far away from her office, it cut down the time it took for her to travel between the two in the morning and the night. As such, it only took a few minutes for her to arrive at her destination, even at the slower pace of her graceful stride. Of course, as the head of the entire division, Retsu's quarters were less like the simple bunks of the lower seated squad members, and more similar to a hotel suite, multiple large rooms with expensive furniture and an elegant design. Most of it was just for show, of course, as she rarely had enough free time to even glance at her various furnishings, let alone use them for their intended purposes. She opened the door to her spacious bedroom and gave a content smirk at the familiar setting that represented some time away from the bustle of paperwork and leadership. "A nice soak in the tub and then some sleep. It's not much, but it'll feel a bit like heaven." Retsu spoke to no one in particular. Her primary bathroom was connected to her bedroom, a request she had granted when drafting up the blueprints for this floor. As such, she stepped inside and over to her large tub that was the centerpiece of the room and let the water begin to flow, as it would take awhile to fill to the appropriate level. With the water set to run, Unohana stepped back into her bedroom to continue getting ready for some short period of relaxation.

As she was in her own quarters, she worried not about modesty any more than a normal person who was alone in a closed room. The large braid that was draped across the front of her body was quickly undone, allowing her long black hair to flow freely. Her white Captain's haori came next, the one item she made sure to fold neatly and place on the counter. The rest of her Shinigami robes were removed gently, but not given quite the same treatment that her haori was. With her outer clothes cast aside, the usually reserved Captain stretched a bit before she continued disrobing. Her lack of outer clothing showed off a body that had been seen by only a few people in the past centuries, her trips to the hot springs being very infrequent. Despite this, her body was quite well formed, a body that most anyone of similar physical age would show off if they had it.

That was when she felt it, the trace of someone's reiatsu, very far away. It was just the smallest whiff of the spiritual pressure of the individual, but Unohana was able to tell that whoever it was was in terrible shape. As the leader of the medical division, it was her job to be able to notice health not just in person, but through the reiatsu of spirits as well. This one was so far away that only the strongest of Shinigami would be able to feel it normally, but certainly only Unohana would be able to recognize the health woes of this person. Unohana did not detect any other reiatsus near the mystery person's, so she assumed that she was merely sickly as opposed to injured, at least from a Hollow attack or other such enemy. Unohana knew she was the only one who could help this poor soul, not even Isane had the training to be able to detect the issues from this little of a trace of the pressure.

The Captain quickly donned her bathrobe and leapt out of her own window into the chilly night, towards the direction of the ailing individual. As she sped through the Soul Society, she could feel the trace of reiatsu grow gradually, able to reveal more details about why it was so haggard. Whoever it belonged to had not slept in over a day, their muscles had been active far longer than was healthy or considered exercise, and they had not had any food or water to keep them in shape while they were doing whatever it was, the actions of a foolish person who seemingly did not mind dying for whatever cause they were pursuing. It took only moments for Unohana to recognize the spiritual pressure as belonging to Rukia Kuchiki, which made Retsu all the more curious as to what was going on. As she left the Soul Society, she began to notice some pillars of what must have been ice in the distance, no doubt caused by the powers of Rukia's shikai. Had there been some type of battle here? She could not detect any other reiatsu from the potential foe, but it still seemed to make the most sense given the other evidence.

There she was, swinging her sword through the air as if aiming for an invisible target. Rukia was perched at the top of the cliffside, a field of ice extending in all directions. She looked just like her reiatsu suggested she would, overly exhausted and nearing collapse. However, Unohana did not spot a single would on the skin that was visible or tears in the Shinigami robes she was wearing, which made the possibility of a battle being the cause all the more unlikely.

Rukia was faring just as bad as she looked, her lack of sleep and energy causing her to nearly fall over multiple times, yet she continued undaunted. Her sharp mind was dulled by the haze, not even feeling as Unohana's strong spiritual presence gradually came closer and arrived at the area. She no longer noticed that she was no longer even actually using her ice attacks from her zanpakuto, just swinging aimlessly and without any form, style or rhythm. She had passed the point where even her stubbornness would have wavered and told her that this was ludicrous and dangerous, but ironically her mind was not in the right state to even listen to that, it just soldiered on.

Then the inevitable finally happened, Rukia's leg gave out on her, the muscles no longer having the energy to support even her lithe frame. While that might normally be fortuitous, allowing her to actually rest whether she wanted to or not, the gods of luck would have none of that. Rukia was so close to the cliff's edge that when her leg gave out, the Shinigami tipped enough to fall right over the edge and towards what would be a significant injury. Unohana delayed not even for the blink of an eye, speeding towards Rukia and catching her in her arms just before she reached the bottom of the drop. Rukia had reached her utmost limit by now, only seeing the blurry face of the person who caught her before her eyes closed and sleep overcame her. The only other stimulus she recognized was the feeling of relief that washed over her as she slipped off into dreamland.


	2. Punishment

The morning sun shone brightly on this new day, its rays broken up by the blinds on the window and separately falling across the form of the sleeping Shinigami. One rogue beam of light managed to land perfectly across her eyes, rousing her from her slumber. Her eyes opened, seeing a room she was not at all familiar with. Its aesthetics were pretty simple, like a bedroom that no one actually lived in or designed around some personal design style, although quite a bit larger than the average bedroom. It was similar, though distinctly different, to the guest bedrooms in the Kuchiki estate, in fact. They were more for show than actual use, just so that the noble estate could be as large and grand as it was. "I'm glad to see you're awake, Ms. Kuchiki," came a gentle voice, to the side of the young Shinigami. Rukia was quite startled by the presence of another person, she had yet to even think about the various reiatsu that were ambient around her, even the one that was just a few feet from her. She turned to see the face of Retsu Unohana, her stance as calm yet graceful as it always seemed to be. She was wearing a pale lavender robe that looked a bit worn, as if it was past its prime, which Rukia found odd considering the graceful appearance Unohana tended to display.

Rukia's memories were a bit fuzzy, she had no idea where she was or why Captain Unohana was here with her, but obviously something had happened to her. She clearly was not in the hospital, not even the wings reserved for the powerful or rich were as nice like this, plus there was no medical equipment of any kind that she could see. She sat up in the bed in which she was lying, allowing the top of the blanket to fall into her lap. She seemed to be wearing a plain white t-shirt, about a size too large but close enough to not be comically oversized. However, that is not what concerned the most. As she sat up, she felt an odd texture against the flesh of her lower regions. With a quick movement, she slipped her hand under the covers and brushed against the garment she felt within.

The blankets were cast aside immediately, confirming the girl's fears. The odd item she felt was not the pair of underwear she had been wearing at the last moment of memory, a pink pair adorned with Chappy the bunny, nor was it any of the pairs that she owned; it was an incontinence brief, one of the more discreet ones that had to be pulled on as opposed to taped, but an incontinence garment nonetheless. It was thankfully unused, but that was not exactly something she usually had to be thankful for, so she turned towards Unohana and gave her a look that asked the question much better than she could have with her words. "Ah yes, I'm sorry but that was quite necessary. You had already ruined your clothes as well as my other, favorite bathrobe; I wished to prevent the same thing from happening to my guest bed." Unohana answered, as if it was just a simple answer to a normal question.

Rukia's memory immediately kicked into gear at that description; her training, her fatigue, her stubbornness and eventually, the appearance of Unohana before she eventually fell and passed out. It was utterly embarrassing that on top of all that, she had apparently relieved her bladder in the arms of the female Captain during her blackout. She had not stopped for a bathroom break during her long training, so it made sense that her bladder had been so full, but it was still embarrassing. She was not exactly fond that she had been naked in the presence of the older Shinigami, either, but at least was a doctor and thus it was not foreign to her. It was better than many others doing the same and seeing and helping her in that state, in any case. "You have not…relieved yourself since you blacked out, if that makes you feel better about your current outfit."

It did, a bit, she supposed, but not to any significant degree. It did make her realize that her bladder was quite full at the moment, but she stayed quiet for now as it was not too overwhelming. "I-I'm sorry I ruined your bathrobe…" Rukia muttered, blushing at the thought of what she was foolishly apologizing for. "Do not worry about it, Ms. Kuchiki, your health is much more important." Retsu replied with a calm smile on her face, "On that note, however, it has been almost thirty-six hours since you passed out and, while I am sure your lack of further relief is considered good news to you, to me it signals a lack of hydration in what lead up to the fatigued state I found you in." Rukia bit her lip at those words, recognizing how foolhardy her own actions were. How was she supposed to explain what she had been doing without looking like an idiot to Unohana? She felt her attempt at training was necessary, even if she had perhaps taken it too far, but there was no way that Retsu would understand that, she would just view it as foolish and scold her for it.

Rukia looked up at the woman to try to think of some excuse that would explain away the situation, but upon the sight of the older woman's face, her words failed her. Her eyes were digging into her own, like a tractor beam for the truth that Rukia was trying to hide. The younger Shinigami could only open her mouth and release the truth from within in the presence of that look. "I…was trying to train…train to unlock my bankai." Rukia began, unable to stop herself, "I suppose I overdid it, but I have to get stronger…" Silence seemed to permeate the room, making every second feel like an hour while Rukia waited for the stern woman's response to her foolish explanation. "I see…" Came Unohana's simple response moments later, terrifying Rukia even more than she had been before. While the words themselves held little value or meaning, it was how they were said that truly scared the poor Reaper. Hidden in the tone of Retsu's voice was anger at what she had heard, anger easy to notice yet at the same time hidden in the tone and inflection instead of outright pouring forth.

Unohana pursed her lips as she finally continued speaking after what seemed like an eternity's delay. "So you felt that training yourself to the bone was the best way to get stronger?" Rukia knew not to open her mouth to answer that question; it was better to sit there on the bed feeling like an inch tall while she was berated for her actions. "I do not know what world it is you live in, but here, death does not equate to more power." Rukia could almost feel herself sinking into the ground as Retsu piled her verbal scolding onto her, like a puppy that needed to be whapped on the nose with the newspaper a few more times. "Well, do you have anything to say for yourself? I believe I deserve at least an explanation for your carelessness after I saved your life and had my favorite robe ruined." Unohana's eyes bore into Rukia as if they were diamond-tipped drills, demanding an answer from the petite Shinigami. "I-I…I have to be able to protect myself…and my friends, now that we can't rely on…" Rukia did not want to finish her sentence, hoping it was enough to at least satisfy the stern woman.

A sigh was released from Unohana's lips; she understood where Rukia was coming from, she truly did, but the method at which she tried to go about getting stronger was entirely reckless and more likely to weaken her than make her stronger, if not outright lead to sickness or death. She had to do something to let the young woman know of those consequences, as she recognized now that even coming this close to death had not deterred Rukia from her goal, just made her feel self-conscious for getting caught and having to be saved. "C-can I please have something else to change into?" Rukia's request interrupted Retsu from her thoughts, "And I'd like to use the restroom, please." Rukia hated that she had to ask for that second part, even though she would have had to do it anyway had she been a regular guest at her home; the garment she was wearing made her self-conscious of having to ask about using the lavatory, despite being a precaution that had gone thankfully unused. She would have only asked about the clothing, but her bladder was starting to ache at the moment and she was not sure she would be able to last long enough against the pressure. Unohana, on the other hand, had ideas fly through her mind upon hearing Rukia's two requests, although her stoic countenance disguised that from the other woman's eyes.

Without saying another word, Unohana sat down on the bed next to Rukia, pulling the covers off the rest of the way so as to fully free Rukia from their confines. Rukia took this as a sign to go use the restroom and turned her legs over the side of the bed in order to do so. No sooner had her bare feet grazed the carpeting than Unohana had her hand gently placed upon the collarbone of the young noblewoman as a sign that she was not to get up yet. Without a wasted motion, the older woman's hand shifted under one of Rukia's armpit, while her other hand did the same under the other one, lifting Rukia into the air as if she weighed nothing and deposited the girl swiftly onto her own lap. Before Rukia had a chance to ask what was about to happen, Unohana placed a finger to her own lips to signal that she was to remain quiet. "What is about to happen is for your own good, Ms. Kuchiki, however much you may disagree for now." Unohana warned ominously. "Can…I at least use the bathroom first?" Rukia asked again, hoping for a reprieve. Normally she would have kept her mouth shut as Unohana had told her to, but her need to relieve herself was too much to just wait for however long this was going to take. "You can hold it," Came Unohana's curt answer nearly immediately.

Rukia knew better than to say anything else, Unohana was clearly determined and her anger was legendary in the Soul Society. More people were afraid of her than even the Captain Commander, it sometimes seemed like. She would just have to hold it in and hope that whatever berating or scolding Unohana was about to do was short and succinct. It was not as if there was much more she could say, she had already lambasted her for her actions so there was not much more to add, was there? Unohana said nothing more as she once again grasped the girl with both hands, this time with one arm under her knees and the other perpendicular to her spine. Rukia had no choice but to allow herself to be lifted and then shifted around until she was over Retsu's lap such that her behind was propped up in the air. She was baffled for a moment before she realized what was going on, the prospect to absurd for it to have come to mind any sooner than it had.

"W-wait! Let me go! You can't do this!" The proud Shinigami shouted, squirming in the grasp of Unohana despite her legacy of being terrifying to cross. The Captain's grip held firm, as if it was but a simple worm squirming in her arms. "I just warned you that you would not like this." Unohana calmly stated as if it was just a casual reminder. With a quick swipe of her hand, Rukia's padded brief was slid down her thrashing legs, causing the already embarrassed girl's face to blush even deeper. The cool morning air making contact with the newly exposed flesh only exacerbated the need for bladder relief, as nudity tended to do to people in that state. Rukia focused less on that and more on escaping this situation, however, completely flabbergasted that this respected Shinigami was subjecting her to such an indignity, and she had not even gotten to the worst part yet, and if Rukia was successful, she never would.

"I am of the Kuchiki household, my brother is the head of the Noble Kuchiki family, you cannot do this!" Rukia shouted, more of a panicked plea than the command that she had intended, "The family will not stand for this! My brother-" The thunderclap of Unohana's hand striking her bare behind cut off her empty threat, eliciting a yelp of pain. "Your brother's pride has rubbed off on you, but even he would be stricken with grief were you to die." Unohana spoke up, finishing Rukia's sentence with her own thoughts instead of the ones from Rukia herself. Retsu's guided palm found its target once more, leaving a red mark that faded slower than on the first strike and educing another shout of pain from the still thrashing Shinigami, as well as a few tears in her eyes. She did not want to cry, of course, but the older woman's strikes were just that powerful and painful upon her rear. "As would Captain Ukitake…and Orihime…and Uryu…and Chad…and Ichigo..." Unohana continued, punctuating each name with another strike on Rukia's ever reddening behind.

The young woman's thrashing had all but stopped now, leaving her sobbing from the intensity of the pain that continued to radiate outwards, her dignity and pride all but shattered by the half-dozen smacks. With each blow, Rukia focused less and less on her extreme need to relieve herself and more on the increasing painful, utterly humiliating event taking place, no longer even listening to the names that Retsu was speaking. And then it happened, on the ninth strike of the spanking, Rukia's bladder could hold no more. The pressure that had been building steadily had managed to pass the tipping point both by her lack of concentration as well as the force of each strike. The tears that streamed down her face were now not the only liquid that flowed in excess from her body, her lack of any clothing allowing the stream to fall onto Rukia's legs (ironically missing the incontinence brief entirely), Unohana's robe, as well as the bed they were on. The Captain was very surprised at the sudden spurt, shifting backwards as much as she could with the source of the fluid still on her lap. If it had been possible, Rukia would have been crying even more than she already was, but the spanking had already pushed her to the point of bawling so there was nowhere else to go. Unohana waited until the other Shinigami's bladder had been entirely emptied and then landed one last blow onto the blistered behind, stronger than the last by a fair amount as a punishment for the accident Rukia just had, a loud shriek of pain from the girl signaling that she had made her point.

"Well, I suppose that was partially my fault, as you did profess the need to relieve yourself beforehand…" Unohana began, speaking with a tone that was far too casual to be apt for the circumstances she had just orchestrated, "However, you should have been able to hold it in until we had finished. Your actions last night may have been childish, but I still expected more adult behavior out of you. I was planning on letting that spanking be the full reminder to take care of yourself better, but after that little display of utter immaturity, it seems I may need to enact further punishment…and you have given me the perfect idea…" Her words were ominous, terrifying Rukia to her very core. After getting her behind tanned and emptying her bladder involuntarily onto herself and her superior, what further punishment could Unohana have even come up with to make those feel less severe in comparison? Her mind boggled, even as Retsu lifted the girl off her lap and placed her in a standing position on the floor, allowing the Captain to stand up and better survey the damage Rukia had caused. The younger Shinigami's face was still as red and wet as a rain-soaked tomato as she sniffled and held her hands over her privates to hide them from view.

"Now, go stand in the corner over there while I go get a few preparations." Unohana commanded, pointing towards one of the corners of her guest room. "And keep that brief around your ankles. I do not want you wearing it while I am gone, but if there are any remnants in your bladder that need to be released, it will at least offer some protection for my carpeted floors if it remains in place." Rukia dared not argue with her, despite how much she wanted to shout that she was not a child who would dribble at the slightest hint of bladder pressure. She knew it would be futile and might even end with her back over Retsu's knee again, but it also did not seem like such a convincing argument after emptying herself uncontrollably during the spanking like she had just done. Rukia's thoughts were interrupted as the other woman began tapping her foot, a sign that she was waiting for her whims to be adhered to, and fearing further punishment, Rukia obliged, waddling her way over towards the corner as the padded brief crinkled ever so slightly with each step. "Now, if you move so much as an inch from the corner while I am away, you might wish you had perished yesterday…" Unohana threatened as she stepped out of the guest room, making Rukia realize that she would probably have just wet herself in fear had she not just relieved herself. She knew better than to disobey at this point, she merely stood facing the corner with her hands still over her privates, her throbbing behind a reminder of what Unohana was capable of and willing to do. The only thing she feared more than Unohana at this point, was what punishment she was planning on enacting.

-~-

Back at the field where Rukia had tried to train, fields and pillars of ice were still peppered everywhere. The reishi built into the ice that Rukia generated meant that it took much longer for the ice to melt at lukewarm temperatures than standard ice would. One pillar in particular began to shake violently before quickly shattering, disturbing the silence that had permeated the field moments earlier. A golden pillar of energy, much smaller than the ice column had been, faded away as a pair of violet eyes glowed in the shadow of the large tree that had previously been frozen over.

"It appears my Negación prevented that Shinigami from discovering me here…" It spoke, its voice deep and cruel sounding, "Good…" It knew not who the Shinigami was or anything about her, just that ice was its offensive capabilities and that the lingering reiatsu was not one that it would ever forget. It quickly cast another Negación over its form as it returned to its slumber, thinking about how good the Shinigami would taste when it ripped the flesh off its bones.


	3. Padding

The wait was excruciating, just standing there in the corner with her sore behind throbbing and an incontinence brief around her ankles. The spanking had been etched deeper and deeper into her memory with each strike of the woman's bare palm. It did not matter how long she ended up afterliving, and as a Shinigami that could be millennia, she would never ever forget this event. How could she, she was an adult and yet was placed over the knee of an older woman and even had the indignity of wetting herself while on that same woman's lap. It was the kind of information that, should it be released into the public or even a small sample of her peers, would cause humiliation of such a level that Rukia was not sure she could remain living in the Soul Society. She did not believe Unohana to be the type of person to release such information, least of all because of how it would be humiliating for her as well. Then again, Retsu's anger was the talk of legends, and while she had never thought that would entail a situation like this, who knows to what lengths the Captain would go to punish Rukia.

She had no idea how much time had passed until she finally heard the sound of the door opening. It felt like forever, but as far as she knew, it might have only been ten or so minutes. She made sure not to move a muscle as she heard Retsu moving through her home, sounds of rustling as if she was carrying grocery bags following her. While she had not moved from her spot at all in the time the woman had been gone, she did not want to give her even the slightest bit of chance of saying that her position was not to her liking and getting in even more trouble. She was not going to be taking any chances with Unohana, now that she knew for sure what anger and punishment she was capable of. With a click, she heard the door to the guest room open as Unohana stepped gently in. "You may step out of the corer now, Ms. Kuchiki." The voice spoke, back at the levels she normally spoke with. In some way, this almost terrified Rukia more than if her voice still held a hint of frustration. She knew the woman was still mad and about to subject her to some unknown further punishment, so speaking at her natural voice tone just seemed…off in a way.

Not wanting to risk aggravating the woman once more, Rukia quickly waddled her way out of the corner and towards her. She had not been explicitly told to, so the petite woman was not going to risk taking the brief off of her ankles. Unohana had changed out of the robe that Rukia had…stained, it seemed, as she was now wearing what was now the third robe she had put on in the past twenty-four hours, light blue in color and with a small rip on the arm, perhaps why it was the tertiary robe she chose. She had a single bag in her arms, but it was a more cloth-like material that not only obscured the contents inside, but did not account for the rustling she had heard. The Shinigami felt her heart beat rapidly as her nerves overtook her, each step seeming like one foot closer to her demise. And yet she eventually found herself standing in front of the woman, her hands firmly clasped over her privates to avoid as much embarrassment as possible, not that she was doing a very good job considering all that happened. Unohana said nothing as Rukia approached, merely laying a lavender towel down on the carpet at there feet for some reason Rukia could not discern. There was nothing spilled there, and her accident had note gone anywhere near this side of the room, so the reason was lost on her.

"Please, Ms. Kuchiki, please lie down if you will." Retsu spoke, still just as calm as if there was no situation at hand. Rukia hesitated for all of a moment before determining that it would be better to find out the reason by following along rather than questioning and getting a further punishment before having it just happen anyway. The towel was thankfully of good quality, a nice soft fabric that did not irritate her sore behind near as much as she was expecting it to. Retsu knelt down beside the girl, placing the bag down next to her as she sat. "Now, I was fully planning to give you some appropriate clothes and let you leave here with just a lecture and a sore bottom, but you made me realize that would not be enough to deter you from your self-destructive actions." Retsu placed her finger to her lips as she saw the younger Shinigami open her mouth as if to protest, letting her know that she was not done speaking. "As well, that display of lacking control you displayed while over my lap gave me ideas for how to both further punish you for your actions as well as hinder your self-destructive intentions. You will live with me for an undetermined period of time so that I may watch over you and make sure you are not trying to train yourself or such." Unohana spoke.

Rukia was a bit surprised to hear that, it was not at all the kind of punishment she had been expecting; it hardly seemed like a punishment at all compared to the blistering she had just received on her bottom. In fact, while Retsu's home was not as luxurious as the noble household she had lived in for years now, it was not as if she was a born noble used to only the best that life had to offer her, she had known utter poverty all those many years ago so living in moderate comfort was not exactly the kind of thing she would call a punishment.

"N-not that I'm arguing with your demand or anything…" Rukia began, afraid that Unohana would look at this as her arguing against the so-called punishment, "…but the Kuchiki household would clearly object to my…absence for any extended length of time with no reason, even if it was so decided by one of the Captains. As well…I'm the Lieutenant of the Thirteenth Division"

Retsu just nodded as Rukia spoke, looking nonplussed by the logic of the young woman. "Yes, I thought of that. I will speak to Juushiro and Byakuya personally and let them know that you will be staying with me in order to learn some basic to intermediate healing Kido. I know you have a natural affinity for Kido, so it should be considered an appropriate explanation." The woman responded, having clearly thought this through to the end.

"But…I don't know any healing Kido, what if I'm expected to show my skills or an ally is wounded on the battlefield and my supposed training comes up?" Rukia responded, imagining the various scenarios that could unravel the lie in the worst possible way.

"I never said I would be lying to them, dear." Retsu replied, not missing a beat. "Medics are important in a battle, and while you are not a Fourth Division Shinigami or possess a zanpakuto that heals, your aptitude in Kido would make it a waste not to learn at least some rudimentary healing spells. With your recent promotion to Lieutenant of the Thirteenth Division, your responsibilities and underlings will only grow, thus you and your abilities will need to grow as well."

Rukia could not deny the logic in her words; she herself had entertained the idea of learning some healing spells of her own, but had just never gotten around to it. As a Lieutenant, she was going to be responsible for many more people than she had been before, so any way she could help them on the field of battle was necessary and welcome. Yet here she was receiving a punishment that involved her getting to learn from the greatest healer in the Soul Society. It was quite bizarre, she had to admit, but it was now beginning to seem more like a small vacation than a punishment, outside of the reason that her behind was still throbbing in pain. On that note, she began to wonder why she was lying on this towel once more, as she would rather stand at the moment instead of putting more weight on the sore area.

Unohana, as if to add to her confusion over the issue, suddenly reached over and tugged the girl's hands away from her privates, causing Rukia's face to blush as deep a red as it could. Rukia stumbled on her words to try to ask why Retsu was forcing her to display her intimate area, as it was so unexpected and humiliating. She was aware that the Captain had already seen her like this when she changed her out of the clothes she had ruined after passing out, but to do so so suddenly while she was awake was baffling to her. Retsu, having seen the look of shock on the girl's face, just gave her a simple smile and reached one hand into the bag she had brought. "You just had an accident, dear, and while I took the brunt of the attack, I still imagine you would like to be wiped up. Unless you want an infection or rash?" The question was rhetorical of course, but it did not really explain to Rukia why she could not just do it on her own when she went to get changed into whatever clothes Unohana would offer her.

That question went momentarily unanswered, as Unohana's hand came out of the bag with a pack of wipes in hand. Not regular wipes, mind you, but moist wipes designated for cleaning infants. "Oh, did I forget to mention?" Retsu began, clear as day that she knew that she had yet to mention whatever it was she was about to tell the girl, "While you are staying with me, you will find yourself without certain privileges that you have taken for granted as both a noblewoman and an adult. I feel I can better watch over you if you are more of an oversized toddler than a privileged adult." Retsu spoke as if it was as casual as could be talking about this. Rukia had no idea what she even meant by treating her like a toddler, was she going to give her an early bedtime or something? "You can thank your little potty accident for this idea, dear." Unohana continued, making sure it was known that Rukia should be blaming herself if she did not like the punishment.

With a deft hand, Retsu began to wipe one of the baby wipes along the surface of Rukia's private area, eliciting a blush even deeper than before. Unohana kept her simple smile on her face while she cleaned the girl, but in her mind she knew she was causing the reaction she wanted in the young Shinigami. She had to etch the embarrassment in her mind or else her lesson would be quickly forgotten when she left here. Of course, this was just the start for her, what she had in mind would be sure to be something that this young woman would never dare to forget. Neither woman said anything as Retsu continued, wiping along the insides of the girl's legs and thighs due to the circumstances of her accident. "There, all clean. Now to get you into your outfit."

Unohana reached into the bag again, pulling out a white canister with some words that Rukia could not read from the angle she was resting at. She was wondering what it was for, but Unohana answered that for her in a much more efficient way than words could, opening the top sprinkling it on the privates of the suddenly surprised girl. The smell that wafted through the room was pleasant, a nice smell that Rukia was sure she should recognize, but it just did not come to her mind. Possibly because she was more concerned with why her privates just had a layer of powder liberally sprinkled on them, a concern that only grew as Retsu began rubbing the powder along her skin both on her privates and her behind. If there was any shade of deeper red that was possible for skin to appear, her face would be painted that color.

Retsu's hand went back into the bag once more, this time staying in the confines of the fabric sack as sounds of rustling and tearing could be heard. What she pulled out a few moments later was probably the last thing that Rukia had expected to see, but it certainly tied all the curious things from the last few minutes together – a diaper! It was folded up at the moment, but there was no mistaking the garment for what it was, the kind of incontinence brief that made the pull-up brief from before seem like her adult underwear in comparison. The petite Shinigami's face immediately shifted from deep red to pale white, the nervousness overtaking her body. "You…you can't be serious…" Rukia uttered, too overtaken to even think of being afraid of punishment for arguing against the older woman, "I didn't know you were being so literal about treating me like an overgrown…toddler." She could barely say that last word now that the reality of it was crashing down onto her like a waterfall.

The smile on the Captain's face said it all, it looked no different to the same simple smile that almost always adorned her face, but it was not hard to see the smug satisfaction held behind the façade. She knew the humiliation that this was causing the poor girl, but that was what motivated her to use it as a punishment. "Well, the original brief was only because I was not sure how long you would be unconscious. But once you had that potty accident on my lap, I realized that this would be very fitting. Besides, I'm supposed to be watching over you and I can think of no better way to do so other than this." Unohana replied, as if it was as simple an explanation as any other. "But…I'm an adult!" Rukia exclaimed, flabbergasted that she was really going to enforce such a punishment, "That accident was just that! There were extenuating circumstances…and because you didn't let me use the bathroom when I asked, you admitted that yourself!" Rukia had a similar smug smirk on her face, believing that there was no way for her logic to be argued by the woman, she would have to relent now. "Nice try, dear, but you're too focused on your accident. This is a punishment for nearly killing yourself in a foolish manner. I need to get you to realize how bad of an idea what you tried was, not for your little potty accident; that just gave me the idea for this."

The smirk on Rukia's face dropped to a scowl as she heard the woman's remarks, it was a ludicrous idea to punish an adult with the treatment of a toddler, and yet she seemed to believe it was the best idea to teach the younger Shinigami a lesson. "Now, please let me finish getting you dressed." Retsu continued, "If I must give you another warning not to disobey and struggle, I will…" Rukia's reddened cheeks clenched as she heard that veiled threat, as if they instinctively knew she was speaking of another spanking. As much as she wanted to struggle, to thrash and yell as if having the type of tantrum appropriate for the age Retsu wanted to treat her, she knew it was a terrible idea, she would just have her still sore rear struck once more and then it would just happen anyway. Even as her behind was lifted off the floor and back down onto the odd padding that had been slipped under her, she stayed silent, though cursing and screaming in her mind like a sailor that had stubbed his toe. Her mental exclamations only increased as she felt the garment pulled over her front, the removal of her nudity the dullest of silver linings that she could imagine at this point. With the garment pulled over, Retsu gripped the overlapping sides tugged them over the front, taping each of the four tabs down snugly.

"There, all done." Retsu cooed, a bit more saccharine than Rukia was used to or comfortable with. The diaper was a standard issue in a hospital, not surprising considering Unohana's division specialty, it also explained how she had gotten the supplies in such a short time frame. It was not exactly the most thick or absorbent adult incontinence garment, but as she was not exactly used to or expecting to wear it, that lack of bulk was not evident to the petite woman. As far as she was concerned, she felt like she was wearing a couple of plastic pillows between her legs. As if to add insult to injury, Unohana patted the front of the garment mostly to make Rukia even more aware of its existence. "There we go, now feel free to use it when you have to potty." Retsu mentioned, her inflection suggesting it was more of a command than a suggestion. "But…" Rukia began, not surprised at the demand but still aggravated that she was expected to use the humiliating underwear for its intended purpose. "No buts, or yours will regret it…" Unohana casually responded. The younger Shinigami used all the willpower she had not to yell right there, but her logic kept that at bay, able to rationalize that perhaps she might be able to talk Unohana out of it when the time came for her to use the restroom again. By then, the older woman might have calmed down whatever internal anger was fueling this bizarre wildfire of a punishment and thus would be open to discussion or concessions.

With her unwanted underwear on, Rukia sat up into a sitting position, painfully aware of every rustle and crinkle that pervaded her ears. Every motion, no matter how small, seemed to generate a jet engine's worth of sound. She knew that it was not quite that loud, but her anxiety over having to wear the garment was making her imagine it hundreds of times louder than it really was. Perhaps the only good thing about the padded garment to her, was the fact that the cushioning was less painful when sitting on her sore behind. It was not a millionth of percent of the way to being enough to make it worth it in her mind, but it was still an undeniable detail. She looked left and right for any sign of additional clothes for her to wear, but saw nothing. Her current shirt was a little baggy on her, but nowhere near enough to even cover a decent percentage of her diaper, even if she were to try tugging down on it.

"Umm…can I at least get new clothes to wear?" Rukia inquired, her face sporting a blush that she was afraid would never go away until she had finally been given her regular underwear back. "Soon enough, dear." Retsu responded, gently pulling Rukia by the hand back up into a standing position, "But now I think you need a nap. I know you just woke up, but after everything you have been through, I believe some extra sleep will help your body recover quicker." Unohana answered before the lithe woman even had a chance to question her. "Now, if you cannot fall asleep, just lie there quietly until I return, it will give you time to think about your actions and how to better yourself." Retsu spoke once more, lifting Rukia under the arms and lying her on the bed without even giving her the chance to do so herself. "Sweet dreams, dear." She turned and closed the blinds so that it would appear as dark as it could be at this time of day, still very bright. "Umm…thanks…" Rukia reluctantly muttered, hoping that politeness would help that idea she had about speaking to the older woman later. Unohana just gave her a kindly smile, perhaps more of a smile than she was used to showing off, and left the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

Thoughts of removing the diaper surfaced in Rukia's mind, but were quickly squashed when she realized that, because of the tabs, there would be no way to put the diaper back on when, or perhaps more accurately if, she heard Unohana returning to get her up. The tapes would probably nor survive being taken off again, and if Retsu had caught her without the garment on, she imagined that her behind would be blistered bad enough to make her previous spanking seem like, or lack of a better term, child's play. With a defeated sigh, Rukia threw the covers over herself, figuring that even if she could not sleep at such a time, keeping the diaper out of her sight would at least help with not thinking about the fact that she was wearing it, although the strong aroma of baby powder, the sound of crinkling and the feel of the bulk and material between her legs made it pretty overwhelmingly obvious, either way. Despite her disbelief that she even needed any sort of nap, Retsu seemed to be right about the way her body was recovering from its state, finding herself drifting off into a slumber just a few minutes later.


	4. Chapter 4

Darkness surrounded Rukia, like a black blanket thrown over her blindfolded eyes on a moonless light, it was an offsetting sight, or lack thereof. Had she overslept during her nap and not woken up until the middle of the night? That would not explain the eternal darkness of this place, but it made more sense than anything else at the moment, anyway. It was as if a wind suddenly blew through the void, wiping away all the blackness to reveal something that was perhaps more bizarre, a nursery built for a baby, though now that Rukia looked around, that infant must have been about her size, if the furniture was any indication. Now she was just entirely confused, who was this room for and how had she gotten here? Before she had a chance to even look around for clues, the door to the room opened, revealing a woman she knew by the name of Unohana, though she was quite sure that the woman she knew as Unohana was not a fifteen foot tall giant, as this one appeared to be. Without uttering a single word, the giant Retsu waved her hand through the air gracefully, as another wind suddenly blew through the odd room. It felt like a gentle wind, but it somehow had the power to tear her Shinigami robes off of her body, as if they were nothing, leaving her wearing naught but her underwear, though before she had a chance to cover herself, her bra was also stripped into nothingness by the gentle breeze.

"What's going on…?" Her question to the giant woman went unanswered, though she was glad to see that her pale lavender panties were spared from the vicious breeze. Yet, spared was perhaps not the word, as she soon realized that something was happening to them as she stared dumbfounded at the enormous Retsu. They were…changing in some way, puffing out as if she were wearing progressively more pairs one on top of the others. As she watched the color began to fade from the already pale underwear, while it seemed to be gaining a different texture from the simple cotton to something more akin to a plastic, which she could tell both by the feeling and the slight sheen the fabric was steadily gaining. Soon, the sides of the new garment began to split down the side, separating and reattaching almost instantly, with the help of four newly formed tabs to hold it together. It was a diaper! Rukia had no idea why her panties were turning into a diaper, but surely it was the cause of the giant woman who subjected her to that strange gust of wind. "St-stop this!" She shouted, tugging at the garment as it finished the transformation. It refused to budge, giving no more let than her own skin would if she tried to tug that off. "Pwease, stop dis! No need diapee!" What was happening to her voice!? Her vocabulary was just unusable, not matter what she intended to say, it was coming out broken and without proper pronunciation.

"Rukia…"

"Rukia…"

The giant of woman spoke her name aimlessly, as if not hearing her struggling to speak. Rukia's legs suddenly began feeling weaker, until they could no longer hold up her petite frame, dropping her onto her now-padded behind with a loud, undignified crinkling sound. The young woman tried once more to yell for the giant Retsu to do something, anything to help her, but instead of even more broken language, all that came out was a bunch of unintelligible babbling. It made her previous outburst sound sophisticated in comparison.

"Rukia…"

"Rukia…"

Still the giant woman said nothing to her other than her name, as if she was trying to find her. It seemed like she was more and more becoming fit to be a resident of this room, and the more that happened to her, the more she felt she was supposed to be the resident of the oddly sized nursery. Considering everything that was happening to her, Rukia did the only thing that made sense, she fell onto her back and began to cry her eyes out, like the baby that everything was telling her she was.

-~-

"Rukia, dear, it's time to wake up." She heard the voice speak through the haze of having just awoken, sitting up and yawning. "If you nap the day away, you won't be able to sleep through the night." Rukia's mind began to speed up the realization process as the knowledge of the situation came back into focus. All the events of the hours before her nap came back to her, breaking through the fuzzy fog from just being pulled out of her dream. A dream that made her all the more aware of her current situation, diapered and under punishment from the woman waking her up. She had hoped that this had all just been some bizarre dream, much like the one she had just had, but she had no such luck, this was the equally bizarre reality she found herself in and it was not going to end so simply. With no further words, Retsu gently pulled the covers off the petite Shinigami, leaving her wearing just the loose t-shirt and the padded garment she was saddened to see still existed. She knew it was there from the fact that she was able to feel the plastic-like material around her waist before, but the visual confirmation was still depressing.

While she was busy ruminating on the fact that her reality now involved diapers, at least temporarily, Unohana had managed to slip her first two fingers into the legband of Rukia's unwanted garment, eliciting a surprised yelp from the young woman. "Sorry dear, but I had to check if you needed a change yet." Unohana simply replied, patting the front of the diaper once more. Needed a change? Of course she was still dry, her one accident was not going to suddenly make her a bedwetter! Did Unohana really think she might have wet herself already, or was she being deliberate-of course she was. It was quite obvious now, she just wanted to make Rukia feel embarrassed as that was part of her ongoing punishment.

"I-I could have told you that…" Rukia muttered, knowing better than to accuse Retsu of her purposeful actions. To do so would just get her more in trouble, something she clearly did not need right now. It was bad enough already, and she still had yet to even learn the true nature of her ongoing reprimand, at least as far as she knew, anyway. Unohana had implied that there was more to it than just the new underwear and the training in healing, as much as she felt the former was more than punishment enough.

"Well, since you don't need to be changed, I'll make us a quick snack, then I'll finish telling you the rules about your punishment." Unohana calmly stated. Rukia found herself quite hungry, so the prospect of a snack interested her, though the elaboration of the rules that was to come with it did make her nervous. Retsu took her by the hand and assisted getting her out of bed, as if she needed help with such a simple task. She did not comment on that indignity, however, as it was so minor compared to what already happened and presumably what was to come. Her current outfit still bothered her, more specifically the lack of covering, as her distaste for the protective garment went without saying.

"Can I get new clothes yet?" She asked, unconsciously tugging at her shirt again. "No, you are fine for now, though if you are too warm, I would be fine with you removing your shirt." The older woman replied, more of a threat of further embarrassment than an allowance. It was quite clear to Rukia, as well. Unohana took her lack of response as a no and walked out of the guest room. Rukia followed without a word, very aware of every awkward step caused by the bulky garment. Unohana soon made it to the kitchen, her crinkling follower waddling right behind her. She pulled out a chair and motioned for Rukia to sit, which she immediately did. While her distaste for the diaper forced upon her was strong, she had to admit that it helped when it came to sitting on her sore behind. Nowhere near worth having to deal with it, but a bonus nonetheless.

It was quiet while the Shinigami waited for the food to be made, only the sound of dishes rattling and the various cooking utensils clacking as they were used. Soon enough, she was presented with a small bowl of rice and miso soup. It was a simple meal, but appreciated all the same. "Thank you for the meal, Captain." Rukia quietly spoke, grasping her utensils before she realized that Retsu was without food of her own. "Aren't you going to eat, too?" She questioned, finding it odd to be the only one eating.

"No, I ate while you napped." Her answer was calm and quick, "So please do eat promptly so I can explain the full extent of the rules." Rukia was not exactly looking forward to that, but if she dawdled in eating, she might draw Retsu's ire, which would be bad for her behind or hurt her attempts to plead for a lesser punishment If one of the rules disturbed her so much that she felt it was worth it to try to argue.

Soon enough, she had finished her meal and before she even had a chance to tell Unohana as such, she found her two bowls being pulled away and placed in the sink, presumably to be cleaned later. Afterwards, Retsu moved over to the fridge and pulled something out from inside, but she emerged with her sleeves covering her arms and thus hiding anything she might or might not be carrying. Her robes did not hang to floor or anything, so if she was holding anything, it was not too large. Without addressing it at all, Retsu walked over towards Rukia and ushered her off of the chair, towards the living area of the Captain's home. Rukia followed, beginning to get anxious now that she was so close to the rules being clarified for her.

"Did you enjoy your meal?" Retsu asked as she sat down on the sofa. "Yes, it was delicious, thank you." Outside of the saving of her life and such, it was the only thing Rukia had been thankful for while in her company recently.

"Good, because it's the last one like it you'll have for awhile." Retsu spoke, chilling Rukia down to her bone. What did she mean, was she going to starve her to near afterdeath or something? That was a lot worse than Rukia had been expecting, it even made her wish she could trade it for another spanking or something she had previously been dreading before the woman spoke.

"Now, before you get all confused about what that means, come here and sit on my lap so I can explain everything." Rukia blinked incredulously a few times, mostly at the prospect of sitting on her superior's lap. Where had that even come from, it was so strange that it took her a moment to process the words to make sure that she did not mishear the older woman.

"Come on, did you not hear me, dear? Up on my lap." Unohana spoke, as if it were as common as walking through a door. She even patted her lap to express that idea outside of words. She was still baffled, but she listened and sat her padded behind on the older woman's lap. It only exacerbated their height difference, as even propped up on the other woman's lap, the petite Shinigami still found herself below Unohana's eye level.

With Rukia positioned as Unohana had requested, the woman pulled her hand out of her robe, holding the object that she had been hiding since the opening of the fridge, a baby bottle full of milk. Rukia just stared at it, wondering if perhaps she was just seeing something that was not there due to own fear. But no, it was quite clearly there, no less real than the Captain herself. As if it did not need to be acknowledged, Unohana began shifting the smaller woman in her lap, cradling her head with her own arm and letting her legs dangle off her lap and onto the couch cushions. It was a bit of an odd position for Rukia, but then again, she was more concerned with the infantile canister than something as trivial as a position change.

However, her questions, as well as her fears, were answered just moments later, as Unohana moved the rubber nipple of the bottle up to the younger woman's lips and pushed it between them, not enough to hurt, but certainly forcible enough to let the diminutive woman know that it was not optional. Rukia had no choice but to try to drink the milk; the suckling motion was one her mouth was not used to, but the instinctual motions resurfaced after a bit of fumbling and she found the cold milk gushing into her mouth. While the act was wholly embarrassing, the milk was a nice palette cleanser for her meal, and as long as there was no way to avoid being nursed as such, she might as well enjoy a cold, refreshing drink.

"Okay, listen to these rules as I have thought long and hard about them." Retsu began, making sure that Rukia kept the bottle in her mouth, "First and foremost, the diapers you are and will be wearing are to be used for the intention that they are designed for."

That, however, nearly made Rukia choke on the milk in her throat. It was not something she had ever considered from the punishment, she assumed that the one diaper was a temporary disciplinary article to be a humiliating reminder of her accident. But to expect Rukia to wear and use diapers full time for however long she was living with Unohana? That was just insane, she could hardly believe that Retsu really expected her to do so. Her anger might be legendary, but as far as Rukia was concerned, this was just cruel and unusual punishment, and while their military government did not specifically outlaw that, it still was not something that would be expected. The fact that her bladder pressure had been building since she had been woken up only made the situation even more obnoxious. Unless she could change Unohana's mind soon, she would be using the diaper whether she was being made to by the older woman or not.

"Before you try and argue, I will not be swayed on this point, dear." Retsu continued, her voice still holding the same authoritarian tone as it usually did, "I know this is a shock for you, but it is happening whether you want it to or not, so drink your milk and let me continue. If you continue to interrupt me, I will not hesitate to take my hand to your backside again." The threat was duly noted, the struggling Rukia slowly going back to drinking her milk as her shock-widened eyes narrowed again, though looking thoroughly annoyed.

"Now, most of all, while you are living with me, I am your appointed guardian. I will feed you, clothe you, bathe you, change you, and anything else appropriate for a young toddler. As well, as you are not an actual toddler, I expect much better behavior from you than one would expect from a child that young. If you misbehave, you will be punished. Whether that punishment is corner time, a loss of further privileges, a bare-bottom spanking or something worse, is based on the transgression, so keep that in mind." Retsu threatened, making Rukia shiver in fear at the thought of a punishment worse than another spanking. Unfortunately, that shiver just made her more aware of her bladder, now that it had hit the point where she would usually excuse herself to go to the bathroom. The milk that she was drinking, while not being added immediately to her filling bladder obviously, was still implanting the idea in her mind and exacerbating the growing need. She found herself fidgeting a bit while being cradled, just an unconscious reaction to having to urinate but being unable to. She was determined not to just wet the diaper she was wearing, even if Unohana was going to force her to do so eventually, she would put up as much of a fight as she could or at least hold on until her muscles gave way, to delay the inevitable as long as possible.

"This will last however long I deem necessary to see you have learned what I am trying to impart. If that means you are here for a year, then so be it. I will not accept a failure on either of our behalves." The prospect of spending a year under Unohana's thumb was terrifying. A year of being babied and wearing diapers, how could she ever hope to come back from that, even if she was eventually allowed to return to her real life? Whatever Unohana had in mind to teach her, she better make damn sure to learn quickly, that was for sure.

"If you could not tell by being bottlefed, these rules go into place now. Is that understood? I will accept a simple nod, as you are supposed to be finishing your milk." It seemed obvious to Rukia that the rules were already in place, she had already been put into a diaper and now she was being fed through a bottle on the woman's lap, so it was not as if there was doubt or leeway to be had. She simply nodded her head at Retsu's rules, she wanted to scream and fight them, argue for her adulthood, but to do so while wearing a diaper and drinking from a bottle just seemed wrong, even if it was not her decision to use them, not to mention the strikes her backside would receive, as well.

"Good girl, now finish your bottle." The woman directed. Rukia had been slowing down, the motions needed to suckle out the milk distracting her from her efforts not to wet herself, efforts that were steadily going to waste as she felt a spurt release into the thirsty padding. It was not much, but if it was any indication, there was no way she would last much longer. Thankfully, she had managed to finish off the milk in the bottle just a few moments later, squirming a bit on Retsu's lap as some form of alternate potty dance. "Y-you don't really expect me to use this…thing, do you?" Rukia pleaded, clearly speaking of the protective garment. "Yes, I absolutely do. I understand your reservations, but I believe you had an easy enough time doing so over my lap last night…" The scathing remark only left Rukia blushing, much as it presumably was intended to. Still, she knew that the older woman was not stupid, she was very aware that Rukia was desperate for release at the moment, and was going to deny her until the inevitable happened, however long that took.

Twenty seconds; it only took twenty seconds after that statement for her bladder to release itself despite all her attempts to hold it in. The warm liquid poured out of her body and was quickly absorbed by the garment. It was thankfully good at its job, at least, not leaking or getting the woman's lap wet as well. The slight hiss and sounds of the padding settling as it filled were the only sounds in the room as the humiliation occurred, just a small smirk appearing on Unohana's face as the accident made itself known. "Well then, I see someone wasted no time getting acclimated. Let's get you changed now, though in the future, do not expect me to drop whatever I am doing to change you the moment you have an accident. You can last a bit without having to worry about a rash or discomfort." The older woman just acted as if it was a simple action that was only new to the lithe woman, as opposed to the bizarre spectacle it truly was. Rukia wanted to cry after having just wet herself like that, and ironically, the only thing that stopped her was the fact that it would make her look even more childish than the soiled diaper already did.

Retsu placed the empty bottle on the endtable next to the sofa and cradled Rukia close to her body as she stood up. Rukia was quite surprised at the woman's strength, even if Rukia was quite short and thin, she was still an adult yet was being lifted as easily as the bottle had been before. Her shame at her little accident was the foremost in her mind, though, as that was not the kind of shame that one easily forgot, especially when the warmth and dampness was still quite evident. The relief from having emptied her aching bladder was lost amongst the disgrace and embarrassment of how that relief came to be. It did not matter that she was forced to use the diaper by the older woman, it still happened and no amount of rationalization could make it any less mortifying.

The young woman was carried back into the guest bedroom and placed gently on the bed, left to sit while Retsu laid out the same towel on the floor as earlier. She wasted no time in lifting Rukia and resting her down on it, as if the three foot distance was hard for her to navigate. Retsu adjusted Rukia's shirt so that it was pushed up her body, presumably preventing it from impeding her from the task that the petite woman did not want to imagine was happening. Retsu knelt down as before and reached over, gripping one of the tapes of the diaper and pulling it off slowly, making it seem as loud as a jet engine, at least in the mind of Rukia. It was clearly deliberate, stretching out each rip of the tape to exacerbate the absurdity of the situation. After what seemed like hours, the fourth and final tape was undone, leaving the garment only covering her privates by the act of gravity. Unohana wasted no time here, flipping the front off and exposing the woman's crotch to the cool air of the room, a change that inadvertently caused her to release a small spurt of the little amount of fluid that was still in her bladder. Had it been possible to blush any deeper at that moment, she would have, but her face was already red enough to make a tomato seem white.

"Oh my, not only are you more of a heavy wetter than your little body would make one think, you still had a little left in there." Retsu teased, her voice far too saccharine to be comforting. "Well, I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to change your diapers, so I can handle it. Most of the little extra fell onto the diaper anyway." Retsu slid the used garment out from under the woman's bare behind and balled it up, dropping it into a covered trash pail on the side of the room. It was not exactly information cared about or wanted to know, but she certainly was having it drilled into her mind. Was this really her fate, to be treated in such a humiliating manner for the next few days, weeks or even months? No, that was not going to happen, even if she had no say in her treatment, she would do whatever it took to make this punishment last as short as possible, no matter how tiring.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt something cold and damp touch upon her womanhood, eliciting the second yelp of the day from her. "Sorry dear, it's just another baby wipe to clean you up." Rukia remembered the wipe from before her nap, though she had been unexpecting of it this time so the sudden cool touch made her jolt. Rukia said nothing in response and merely looked away, the feeling of having her nude form rubbed in such a way causing the blush on her face to be there for another reason. Embarrassment was still there, but it also mixed the expected result of an adult being touched in such a way, even if that touch was for a reason such as this. Regardless of how Unohana wanted to treat her, she was still an adult and her body was going to act as if she was when the proper stimulus was known.

The powder came next once again, a further dusting of the fine talcum powder that once again sent a cloud of the aroma fluttering around her body. This time, Unohana seemed to want to rub the powder in to her skin to make sure the coverage was done adequately. It was not quite as intense as the wet wipe, but it still lent to some further embarrassment than the diaper change itself provided. Thankfully, it did not take too long to spread the powder across her privates, and while Unohana made sure to get it on her backside and thighs as well, that did not elicit the same reaction for obvious reasons.

Her behind was once again lifted off the towel, but lowered again a moment later, onto a fresh diaper. Thankfully, her behind was slightly less sore than earlier, so while it was still a bit painful for weight to be placed on it, it was not as bad as it had been, and while she hated to admit, the padding on the garment acted like a cushion to reduce the weight being applied directly. As slow as she had been in taking the previous garment off of the woman, Unohana taped the new one on quite quickly, snug and tight on the woman's form. "There you go, all nice and clean." Retsu cooed, an act so unlike the woman that it almost made Rukia uncomfortable. Retsu looked at Rukia and raised an eyebrow, clearly awaiting for something and planning on not continuing until she got it. "…Th-thank you…" Rukia muttered, not wanting to have to thank someone for doing something that she did not at all want. "You're quite welcome dear" A satisfied smile grew upon the woman's countenance, no doubt satisfied more about her own ability to get Rukia to act as she wanted, no matter how embarrassing.

With no warning, the older woman once again lifted Rukia against her body, holding her padded behind in one hand while the woman's legs were split by her hip, and carried her out of the bedroom. She was placed back on the sofa, but not on anyone's lap this time. Retsu moved towards her bookshelf and picked out a rather hefty book from one of the shelves. It was red and looked quite old, its gilded pages dulled from years of use and shelving. "I am going to give you until bedtime to read through this, whatever parts you feel are the most important." Retsu began, passing the book to Rukia, "We will begin your first lesson first thing tomorrow, so make sure you read what's important. I will not bother you until bedtime and if you need to be changed, do not come to find me, that will wait until I change you for bed, as you need all time you have the opportunity to use if you want to be successful."

Rukia nodded as she looked the leather-bound book over, some time to herself would be much appreciated after being doted on by Retsu ever since she woke up after fainting. The Captain left the room immediately after explaining the situation, though she was close enough by to know if Rukia was attempting to shirk off on her work or do something even more foolish.

The book was quite old, as it had appeared. The text was clearly done by some primitive typewriter or press of some sort, and the pages were browned and yellowed from age. The knowledge seemed normal at first, just the standards of Kido that one learned in the Shino Academy, even those with little aptitude towards the art. However, the writing was quite…obtuse, like one would expect from a book printed in a different time. It was not unreadable or incomprehensible to the Shinigami, but it certainly slowed her progress down a little bit. Even some of the illustrations and discussions of proper Kido motions and movements were outdated; Rukia was quite sure that the ones she was taught in the Academy were more efficient than the ones this book was prescribing for use. Still, if Retsu had wanted her to read this, she must have had a reason.

Hours passed as Rukia scoured the book, finally getting passed the introduction to general Kido sections that took up more of the book than expected, when she was suddenly surprised by the book closing against her will. "It's bedtime." Came the voice of Retsu, standing in front of the sofa without having been noticed. "Let's get you changed, perhaps in more ways then one, and get you into bed." Rukia had no idea she would be forced into bed so soon, she had barely scratched the surface on the beginnings of the healing aspect of Kido, and that was what she was to be trained in first thing in the morning. "But…it's only nine o'clock!" Rukia pleaded, expecting a few more hours with the book before she was forced into bed. "Now now, little ones go to bed earlier than big girls, especially little ones still recovering from a bout of extreme exhaustion." Rukia wanted to fight, she truly did, but she also knew it would be futile. Bedtime was now, and there was little she could do about it.

She was not even surprised as Retsu rested the book on the table and lifted the girl into her now free arms. She was carried back into the guest once more, and placed on her feet in front of the bed. Two fingers found their way into her diaper's legband once more, eliciting a blush from the young woman, but not a full reaction as she had before. "Still dry. Well then, let's get you dressed." Both of them knew that was the case before the check, but Rukia was not surprised by the unnecessary procedure, she probably would have been more shocked if Unohana just went with the clear visual evidence that the diaper had yet to be used.

Rukia's shirt was pulled from her body, made easier due to the slightly baggy nature of the garment, leaving her wearing nothing but the protective garment. She was immediately reminded of her dream, a fact that only increased the shame she felt from the whole ordeal. She said nothing as she was instructed to put her hands in the air, allowing the older woman to slide the new shirt on her body. This one was blue, with an image of Chappy the bunny on it, that drifted down further than the previous shirt, but still not enough to prevent the bottom of her diaper from poking out of the bottom, even while standing up. She had to admit it was cute, and had it been properly sized, would have been something she would wear naturally. "There, all ready for bed." Unohana lifted the girl into the bed and tucked her in, "You have a big day tomorrow, so get some sleep. I'll leave a bottle of water on the desk here if you get thirsty, but I will know if you try to remove the lid…" Rukia had no doubt she had some method of knowing, even if she could not think of what it was. "Good night…" Rukia mumbled, not too thrilled with having to do so.

Unohana merely smiled and left the room, turning the light off as she left. Rukia sighed and looked at the bottle, no way was she going to drink from one unless she was forced. Besides, the fewer liquids she took in, the less she would have to deal with the bathroom issues that Unohana forced upon her. Of course, as her luck would have it, her bladder sent the first signals that it was growing full as she looked at the bottle. It was not an urgent need, but it certainly would be by the time she was awoken in the morning…if she even could last that long. She was thirsty and the bladder issue was going to make itself known either way, so with a sigh, the young Shinigami grabbed the bottle off the desk and began drinking the cool water within. It was refreshing, though still embarrassing, but soon enough, Rukia began to drift off, the bottle falling out of her mouth as she fell asleep, still nervous for the coming morning.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning came without any odd nightmares, that she could remember anyway. What seemed to wake her up this time was the very pressing need to relieve her bladder. The bottle of water seemed to have added to the early twinges of her bladder before she fell asleep and now led to an almost bursting organ. The young woman squirmed in the bed as she decided what to do; on one hand, her bladder was aching to release and she was definitely dressed to handle it, but on the other hand, she hated being forced to do so and voluntarily wetting herself was letting Unohana win. After a few moments, potential relief won out and the girl allowed herself to release, albeit reluctantly. She gave an unintended sigh of relief as her body released the fluid, the diaper doing its job and absorbing the liquid as it spilled out of her. Moments later, Rukia finished, not wanting to admit how nice it felt to have relieved herself. It was a common feeling, of course, just never combined with this very embarrassing situation she had been forced into her, causing it to be more of a mixed feeling.

"Good morning, dear." Rukia barely had time to feel relief before Unohana slipped into the room and made her presence known.

The door had definitely been closed just a moment ago, so at least she was not there watching Rukia embarrass herself. She just had to appear now, though, she just could not have come in ten seconds earlier. Rukia had no doubt that that the woman would have forced her to use the garment anyway, but at least then she could put up some sort of show of resistance to it, as opposed to just being found with it in the morning with the diaper already well used. She did not put it passed the woman to have waited behind the door until she had some sign that Rukia had reluctantly wet herself, but there was no way to prove it.

"Sleep well?" The question pulled Rukia from her thoughts.

"Oh, um, yeah." The girl responded sheepishly.

"Good, you'll need it for the day you have ahead of you."

Unohana lifted the almost empty bottle off of the bed and placed it on the desk she had originally set it on the night before. Next came the blanket, pulled off the smaller girl before she even had a chance to attempt to futilely try to hide her soiled diaper with her hands. The garment was discolored from the accident it had absorbed, sagging on the bottom with the extra weight it was carrying. It did a good job with odor control, however, the acrid smell of urine not noticeable in the air even when searching for it.

"Oh my, it looks like someone should be glad that she wore her diapers to bed." Unohana cooed in somewhat of a mocking tone.

"It isn’t like that! I-I just woke up and had to go!" Rukia knew she had fallen into the trap the moment the words left her mouth, but there was no stopping her, her pride had certainly taken a hit in the past few days but it was still strong enough to react when she was accused of wetting the bed.

"So you wet yourself on purpose, then?" The question was clearly a trap, but Rukia's pride intervened once more and forced her to reach for the bait.

"W-well…I had to go and I know you wouldn't let me use the toilet." Her response was weak, no power behind the words.

"You could have come and got me if you needed to. I would not have let you use the potty, but it still would have been a show of control on your part." Still nothing, what would have been the point then? The question flittered through her mind, ready and waiting to be asked. "Besides, if you had to had to go so bad that you relieved yourself right after you woke up, is that not functionally the same as wetting the bed anyway?" Retsu's question hung in the air like a pungent odor, waiting to be argued against.

Rukia had no idea how she could win this battle; even if she had the logic to win, which she was honestly not sure that she did, Unohana was just too good at these mind games to defeat, plus her current authoritarian position made it all the more difficult to argue with. Instead, Rukia merely ended the argument in the only way she could at the moment, crossing her arms over her chest and making a "hmmph" sound. It was entirely a concession, as much as she had not meant it to be, but Retsu certainly smiled as she saw it.

"With that behind us, let's get you changed." She spoke with the clear words of someone who wanted the other to know that they had lost. With a soft smile that managed to hold as much smugness as it could without being an outright smirk, the older woman gently pushed her charge back flat on the bed and began changing her diaper. Rukia tried to be less humiliated, knowing that this punishment was going to last awhile and thus she would have her diapers changed countless times while here, but it was just not happening. Embarrassment was too deeply entrenched in her subconscious; it would take a lot not to be embarrassed by wetting herself in front of, being seen naked, getting cleaned up and being changed into a diaper by someone she knew. Perhaps a few weeks of it would lessen the humiliation, but that was not exactly a pleasant thought for her to focus on.

With a fresh diaper, the smell of baby powder still lingering in the air, Unohana helped Rukia off the bed and pulled an outfit out of the dresser next to the bed. The younger woman was actually surprised to see that instead of some cutesy outfit, she was actually holding her Shihakusho, minus her white gloves, the standard Shinigami outfit, folded up and with Lieutenant's badge resting on the top. Surprised, and thankful. The loose clothing would be great at hiding the bulk caused by her diaper and was not at all embarrassing if they were to be out in the public of the Seireitei. Although, perhaps that was the only reason that she was allowed this simple outfit, it was expected of all officers to wear theirs when on duty, which applied to the excuse Unohana had used to get Rukia temporarily out of her Lieutenant responsibilities for the sake of this punishment.

Retsu helped Rukia into the Shihakusho, as if the young Shinigami had never put one on herself before, and ushered her out of the bedroom. Once in the living room, Unohana pointed to the kitchen, where Rukia saw what appeared to be breakfast sitting on the table. "You go eat, you'll need your strength for today. I'll be back in just a few minutes."

Retsu gave no time for questioning, immediately turning around and walking towards the master bedroom. Not wanting to anger her unwanted caretaker, Rukia made her way to the kitchen and sat down at the table in front of her meal, a bowl of steamed rice and, of course, a bottle of milk. A sigh escaped her lips but she sat down anyway, slowly picking at her food. Nerves were preventing her from being too hungry, but she knew that Unohana would never accept her not eating before a day of training.

Desiring to finish before Retsu returned from her room, Rukia forced the food down her throat. It was actually quite good, but her nervous stomach still made it somewhat of a struggle to get down. Hesitation gripped her for just a moment, but she put the bottle to her lips as the Captain had wanted, taking notice of the cool, quenching colloid inside. She suckled slowly, even if Retsu came back before she had finished, she would at least be able to show her that reluctance that had not been evident earlier when it came to her supposed bedwetting. As if on cue, Retsu stepped into the kitchen, wearing her own Shihakusho, as well as her haori, a white overcloak, that denoted her Captaincy.

"When you're all done, we'll head out." Retsu spoke.

"Oh, well, I'm done no-" Rukia stopped as she saw the look on Unohana's face.

She did not mean when Rukia decided she was done, her face clearly told the young woman that they would leave when the bottle was empty and no sooner. It took just a short glance for Rukia to pop the bottle back into her mouth, continuing to suckle until all the milk was gone. The bowl was placed in the sink, the bottle on the counter next to it, and Rukia herself returned to Unohana's side. The Captain merely nodded as she headed for the door. As they headed out, Unohana slipped some sort of pack around her shoulders, larger than any purse would be. Rukia had no idea what it was for, but she did not ask, either.

Rukia could not help but be nervous as she walked out the door, despite the normal outwards appearance of the situation, there was nothing embarrassing about who she was with or what she was wearing (on the outside, anyway), but in her mind she might as well have been led by the hand, wearing nothing but her diaper. They did not seem to pass anyone she recognized off hand, just numerous Fourth Divisioners who gave their greetings and respects to their Captain as she passed by, leading towards other Shinigami as they entered the Seireitei proper.

They passed by many buildings, some recognized, some not. Eventually, they reached what Rukia recognized as a training facility and was ushered in behind the Captain. As a military society, these training facilities were numerous and treated with importance, spread throughout the Seireitei. They were used either in groups or for one-on-one training, depending on the need, and it usually took the clout of the Captain Commander himself to reserve one for the day on such short notice. Rukia had no doubt that Retsu could convince the staff to slot her in today if she "asked" them, Rukia would not like to know the fate of anyone who would have denied her. Her still slightly sore behind became noticeable as her thoughts came to her, reminding her of the mercy she had been given by the wrathful woman.

The staff members confirmed the reservation and quickly evacuated the premises, quite a few doing so in a rush that spoke to their fear of the woman who had made the reservation. After they left, Unohana locked each of the entrances so they would not be disturbed and led Rukia into the center of the area. All the equipment had been moved, leaving nothing but three dummies propped up in the center of the large room, with a large box a short distance away. As they approached, she realized that they were less like dummies and more like life-size stuffed sack dolls, mostly humanoid in shape. It was…odd looking, but mostly just made her wonder how they tied into her healing arts training.

"Now then, tell me the basics of how healing Kido works." Retsu commanded, placing her bag next to that large container.

"The healer places their own Reiatsu into the subject, allowing it to mix with their own Reiatsu and help jumpstart and speed up the body's own healing regimen." Rukia began, remembering the information from the book she had read, "The healer must then guide the recreation and distribution of cells, sinew, tissue and muscle to heal the body correctly. For these reasons, a person cannot heal their own bodies, special abilities notwithstanding, and no healing Kido should be performed on a living person without the proper training, even if the ideas and theories are known well."

"Very good, that last part specifically applies to you in this situation." Retsu advised, "The healing arts are exceptionally dangerous but also incredibly helpful when used correctly. Now, I want you to draw your sword."

Rukia was a bit confused at what her Zanpakuto had to do with this training; it certainly was not a healing-type or even a Kido-type zanpakuto. She listened to her teacher's command, of course, she trusted and feared her enough not to question something that would certainly be answered naturally in just a short while. She held the sword in front of her, a combat ready position, waiting for the next order from Retsu.

"Now, I want you to perform one strike against this puppet, in such a way that I am unable to heal it." Retsu ordered, stepping next to the leftmost dummy.

Rukia thought about it for a moment and decided on her one strike, a simple but effective measure. The Shinigami ran towards the puppet and impaled her blade in what would be its stomach and out through the back. As she pulled the blade back out, she was momentarily shocked to see what appeared at first glance to be blood pouring out from the open wound. However, it was not blood, nor was it even a liquid: it was crimson sand, fine grain crimson sand. Unohana smiled and walked up to the dummy, placing one hand on each of the wounds on the puppet, removing them just a moment later to show that the canvas "flesh" had been healed as if never impaled by her sword, outside of the small pile of sand accumulated on the ground.

"Hmm, well, you hit it at least…Not much of a lasting wound though. He barely lost any blood." Retsu chided, "But no matter, attempt number two."

She moved to stand closer to the second dummy, awaiting Rukia's attack. The girl steadied herself and ran at the new puppet, this time going for a more deadly blow by separating its head from its neck. Retsu moved quickly, ignoring the spray of red sand as she quickly set the head back against the body and healed the wound as if it were a minor one. There was certainly more sand on the ground this time, the canvas head of the puppet was somewhat sagging inward on the top from the lack of sand for support, but it was still a failure.

"Better, but that will not be enough to pass this test. You have one last try."

Rukia nodded, determined not to fail this round. Her final strike was a significant one, bisecting the dummy vertically. Rukia smirked as her eyes gazed upon the sand in the two halves of the puppet, convinced that there was no way for Unohana to fix that wound before losing enough of the crimson grains to constitute death. But how wrong she was; Retsu was fast, able to catch each half of the dummy and pull them back towards one another, before they barely had a chance to separate. Her hands moved faster than could be followed with the naked eye, leaving the fully healed puppet propped as if nothing had happened. It had lost even more sand than the second one, enough for its head to almost cave in, but she had still failed for the third time.

"Sorry, it was a good attempt, but not enough." Retsu spoke.

"Then tell me how I could have succeeded." Rukia pleaded, annoyed at her own inability.

"You could not have."

"What!? B-but-"

"As you can see, even when sliced in twain, I was able to heal the puppets before they even lost a fraction of what was necessary to count as death. That's because the healing arts are incredibly potent and powerful. In this manner, they could not have been outdone by your offensive performance."

"But…people still die in the field, even when there are medics nearby…"

"Exactly." A smile appeared on Retsu's face, as if she had wanted to discuss this. "That is because the human body is not made of just a single layer of a special material." She began, "The human body is layers upon layers of flesh and muscle and sinew and blood vessels and such, it is a thousand times more complex than this simple canvas material."

As she spoke, Retsu began to move towards the box from earlier, yanking the tarp off with a quick tug. The box was a container of some sort, a wooden box latched closed with metal clasps. Retsu reached inside after opening it and pulled out a square sheet of what appeared to be the same canvas material that the dummies were made out of. It was at least six feet long on each side, quite a bit taller than either of the two women, though Rukia especially. A sudden flash of white and black and two halves of the sheet drifted to the floor, having been sliced somewhat diagonally by the older Shinigami.

"This is a special material that can be healed in the same manner our cells can." Retsu spoke, sliding her zanpakuto back into its sheath. "Use what you read to try and fix this sheet so that it returns to its pre-spliced condition. I shall watch from right here."

Rukia nodded and made her way over towards the two sheets of fabric. After rearranging them such that they lined back up, Rukia kneeled in front and began to think of all that she had read the day before; the aspects of Reiatsu and its flow, the importance of focus and control, all the information that she could remember. With a deep breath, the young woman felt the energy in her hands, much as she had a myriad of times before upon casting a kido spell. Now it was with the intent to heal, instead of destroy, however, a much gentler flow of energy was required, at least for the moment. Her mind was clear, empty of idle thoughts, just focused on the healing energies coursing through her palms. With her hands on the canvas, Rukia could feel the threads of the material, the edges searching for the edge of what had been severed by the blade. Her hands were to act as a conduit, routing the energy from one side to the other with enough precision to connect the sheets.

"Very good, feel the flow of Reiatsu in your body and out into the material." Unohana spoke in a gentle tone, not wanting to disturb her pupil.

Rukia was glad for the advice and vote of confidence, but the moment she placed her hands fully on the material, she realized just how difficult healing truly was. All those connections she felt between the fabrics immediately pulled and yearned for the Reiatsu leaking through Rukia's hands, nearly uncontrollably. Within a moment, the section of material below her hands reconnected as the energy surged through, though the connection was anything but clean, by the time she was done with that small section, it was…sloppy, to say the least. Bulges and shifted connections peppered the space of a few inches, a vast erring in her practice of the skill.

"No, not like that." Her dismissal was blunt, but unfortunately accurate, "Had you done this to the injury of a comrade, they would have significant injuries and lasting problems."

Rukia did not respond, she knew that the woman was correct in her judgment of the first attempt, but it was also just that, a first attempt. No one got it perfect on the first try, not even Captain Unohana. Had this method existed back then, she imagined that Retsu would have made the same mistakes or at least similar ones. Still though, the young woman refocused her energies, this time expecting the feeling that imparting her Reiatsu had when she made contact. Still though, even expecting the stimulus was not the same as being able to control it, and while the second patch of healing went better than the first, it was still an incorrectly healed mess of canvas fringe.

The young Shinigami continued like this for hours, Unohana slicing the sheet again whenever she needed to. Her progress was slow but steady, working on bettering her form with each attempt. After who knows how long, Rukia began to have a familiar issue, one that was impeding her attempt at clearing her mind of outside distractions, she had to relieve herself. However, after her next better but nowhere near good enough attempt, Retsu spoke up again, but not with the advice of a teacher, as before.

"I believe it is time to break for lunch and a change, if necessary." Retsu did not give Rukia time to answering, merely pressing her hand against the front of the young woman's outfit. "Hmm, seems dry. Well, dry enough to not be noticeably damp, I suppose is more accurate."

"Not wet at all…" Rukia mumbled in response, not mentioning that she had to go pretty badly at the moment.

Retsu must have heard her murmuring, but she said nothing in response, merely going over towards that bag that she had brought with her and pulled a small plastic container out of it as well as a piece of blue colored fabric. It was a bib, as she found out when the older woman tied it around her neck. As for the container, that was actually a bowl of apple sauce. She sighed, but knew there was no other recourse available at the moment, it was just part of her life now. Her mouth was opened wide, awaiting the first spoonful of applesauce to be slid into it. While she was indeed fed the gooey nectar mush, she also ended up with a decent amount on her chin and bib, through no fault of her own. It was clear that Unohana wanted to embarrass her by pretending she had trouble eating on her own, but she said nothing, lest she invoke an escalation in the woman's ideas.

"Oh my, someone's a messy eater." Retsu cooed in a tone not commonplace to her.

With her mouth and chin wiped clean with the bib, Rukia was quickly shuffled closely towards the other woman and shifted onto her lap. She knew what was coming, evidenced by the blush on her face as the bottle was held out in Unohana's arm. It was not milk this time, though, it looked more like apple juice than anything. She did not want to admit her thirst to the woman in case she decided she needed more than one bottleful of juice, but she was quite parched after her morning of training. As the plastic nipple entered the young woman's mouth, all she could think about was her bladder straining to hold on despite the futility of the situation. Her mouth worked nearly on its own volition, the rhythmic suckling rewarding her with juice a little warmer than she would have liked but still quite refreshing. However, the momentary distraction caused her bladder to leak a small spurt into the waiting diaper, barely enough to even be noticed. As there seemed to be little point in holding it to the point of bursting, Rukia decided to just release her bladder, feeling her padding grow warm and slightly damp as it absorbed the fluid spilling out of her. By the time her bladder was empty, so was the bottle of juice she had been nursing on, the nipple being removed from her lips.

"Let's get some gas out of your tummy and then I believe you need a new diaper."

Rukia could hardly believe it, somehow her teacher had recognized that she had used her diaper during the bottle feeding, even though it was under her loose outfit. It was quite humiliating, even though it had been expected, nay, demanded that the she used her diapers for the foreseeable future. Even as a gentle hand patted her on the back, all she could think about was the fact that to Retsu, it might as well have looked like she had no bladder control. She understood that the woman knew that was not the truth, but it would seem like it might as well be the case if she were to do it so casually without saying anything or giving any indication that she was or had just finished wetting herself. Eventually, Rukia found the gas in her stomach and released a burp from inside, enough to placate the older woman's ridiculous demands.

"There we go, now for your change." Retsu reached for the bag again, opening it further to reveal it stocked with multiple diapers, a canister of baby powder and a pack of wipes. Of course it was a diaper bag…it seemed obvious to Rukia now, though that did not do anything for the hit her pride took upon learning she was being touted around by someone with a diaper bag meant for her.

It was quite…nerve-wracking to have to deal with a change in such a place, as compared to the privacy of Unohana's apartment. Sure, it was protocol for the premises to be emptied when a private training session was scheduled, but Rukia was paranoid that somehow someone would stumble upon the two of them right in the middle of the change. Yet, her fears were not realized; Unohana got her out of her Shihakusho and managed to change her into a clean diaper with not a single intrusion or unwanted eye. It was still embarrassing and she hoped that it never became common enough for it not to be, but nowhere near as much as it would be if someone else saw the act in progress or even knew she was sporting the outfit that implied the act happened at all.

"Thanks…" Rukia grumbled, knowing that the Captain was not going to let her continue until she expressed gratitude, even with as much reluctance as possible.

"No problem, dear." Retsu replied, helping the petite woman into her outfit, "Go ahead and continue."

For the next few hours, Rukia continued her training on the one piece of fabric, gradually getting better and better as she got more of a handle on the control of the way the Reiatsu worked. It was tiring work, just the same as if she had been physically training to run a marathon. Sweat had begun trickling across her face, dripping onto the fabric as she attempted one of the numerous attempts to heal it. Her hands were getting harder to control, weak from fatigue, which hindered her more than normal.

"Okay, that's the last attempt for today." Retsu reached for the fabric from behind Rukia as she spoke, examining it. "This is actually not too bad a job for just one day's work. Good job, dear."

A sense of accomplishment welled up in Rukia's chest upon hearing that, her final attempt at fixing the seam was much less bulging and flat than previously, though it was still clear to the eye that there was something odd along that line. As she stood up, she was suddenly struck with a feeling of lightheadedness, though whether she had just stood up too fast or had used too much of her physical energy, she was not sure.

"Th-thanks, I did my best…" As she spoke, she nearly fell, her legs a bit weaker than she expected.

"Oh dear, it appears I let you overexert yourself today." Retsu looked legitimately concerned, reaching over to support the exhausted girl. "And after chastising you for doing the same, too. Let's get you back home for a nap, you need it."

Rukia put up no protest, even though it was the middle of the afternoon. She was worn out and a short nap sounded great right now. What she did not expect, however, was her body being lifted into the air and being placed on Retsu's back in what was basically a piggyback position. While it was nice to be carried in the state she was in, they had to walk through the public of the Seireitei like this, which was a bit awkward.

"I can walk on my own…" Rukia was not sure if that was actually true, but her pride made her state that anyway.

"Be that as it may, you need to rest." Retsu responded, grabbing her bag again and heading for the exit.

Despite her fears, there were no comments or remarks from anyone of the few people they had met on the way back. A few eyes looked their way, but, perhaps due to fear of angering Captain Unohana, they said nothing or questioned anything. It was not too uncommon for training to cause one participant to hit a point of exhaustion that they had to be carried away, but in her situation, anything that brought unwanted attention to herself was quite terrifying, lest she somehow let the existence of her padded underwear be known.

It was quite a relief as they entered the living area of Unohana's home after the short trip from the training facility. Rukia had nearly fallen asleep on Retsu's back by this point, only kept awake by the fear of an offhand comment by one of the Shinigami they passed, but they had all been smart enough not to say a word. The Captain wasted no time heading for the guest bedroom, apparently eager to get Rukia down for her much needed nap.

"Oh good, it's ready." Retsu commented as she opened the door, piquing Rukia's curiosity.

She did not have long to wait to understand what the woman was talking about; when she leaned past Retsu's head to look inside, she saw something that almost made her jaw drop to the floor…the guest bedroom had been replaced by what could only be described as an adult nursery!


	6. Chapter 6

Her eyes must have been deceiving her, they just had to be. How else was she to explain what she saw? The simple guest bedroom had had all of its previous furniture replaced with furniture befitting that of a baby…a baby of adult sizes, but a baby all the same. Where the bed had been, there was now a crib, lavender in color with a snowflake bedsheet, a mobile hanging over the top. Next to it, against the wall was a new piece of furniture, one that made her cringe and blush at the same time; a changing table. She had little experience taking care of children, but it was quite clear what purpose it served, its padded top and areas full of changing supplies. It was of similar color to her crib, the padding at the top a light blueish color to match the sheets in the bed. The shelves on the bottom were stocked with fresh diapers, canisters of baby powder and packs of wipes, enough supplies to keep her behind clean, powdered and padded for weeks. The thought turned her stomach, just how long had Unohana planned to subject her to this misery, anyway?

"Wha-wha…but…how?" was all Rukia could manage to say in response to what lay before her.

"While we were out, I had a few of the Shinigami under me make some much needed renovations to make this room more appropriate for your stay." Retsu responded as if they had just switched one bed out for another or something, as opposed to the turning it into a nursery.

"But…that means this isn't a secret anymore!" The younger woman exclaimed, her bewilderment quickly shifting to fear as she learned of what had occurred.

"Do not worry, dear." Retsu calmly interjected, "There are certain…memory altering Kido to be used when necessary, in case someone stumbles on secret information they were not meant to see. I just delayed the effect until they had left. It's a bit…frowned upon to use it unless the situation is a dire one, but it had to be done."

It was truly frightening to hear how easily Retsu found it to alter a person's memory; even the relief that her shame was still a secret had been subdued by the sheer acknowledgement of the Captain's diligence and refusal to compromise, even in the face of practicality and ethics. She wanted her guest room to work as an adult nursery and did all it took to get that done in secret. She let nothing get in her way, which was pretty terrifying when this idea was extrapolated to further scenarios.

"I…I see…" Rukia mumbled, her body beginning to calm down from the fear that had overtaken her, "…Where did you even find furniture like this?" She questioned, almost afraid to learn how she went about acquiring these.

"Oh, it is easy to get a carpenter in the Rukongai to make almost anything when you are willing to pay for it." Retsu answered. "Let's get you down for a much deserved nap, you need it after all the energy you expended this morning."

Retsu had barely finished her statement by the time she had begun removing the young woman's shihakusho, folding it up and placing it to the side of the crib. There was no fighting on behalf of Rukia, she was as tired as Retsu insinuated and still in shock that her destination was a crib. She merely allowed her layered uniform to be removed one by one until she was left with naught but her diaper, a plain blue t-shirt pulled over her head just moments later.

"Good, still dry. I can put you right to bed." Retsu patted the front of Rukia's garment, as if she needed more definitive proof that it was still unused.

The side of the crib crashed into the ground with a thunderous sound, its heavy side released as Unohana unlatched the two locks. The smaller Shinigami was placed on the cushy mattress and the snowflake patterned covers were pulled over her. Normally there would be some type of argument or at least an attempt at rationalizing regarding the new piece of furniture she was supposed to sleep in, but her mouth made no words, though whether that was due to shock, fatigue or surrender, she could not say.

"Have a good nap, sweetheart." Retsu surprised the young woman by popping something into her mouth. It took but a moment for her to realize that it was a pacifier, like the bottle but with no liquid reward for the embarrassing act of suckling on it. Rukia knew better than to spit it back out, though, it was far too easy for her to do so, thus making the reprimand for doing so implied rather than needing to be said.

The lights clicked off a moment later, though it was the middle of the day so the sun was still able to shine through the windows with ease. Retsu gave the mobile above the crib a playful spin before she left the room, as if it was supposed to entertain the young adult lying inside. Rukia merely sighed and rolled onto her side away from the childish entertainment device. Not that she could profess to any level of adultness with her current diaper, crib and pacifier, but it was still not something she wanted to see at the moment.

Despite how utterly overtaken she was with fatigue, Rukia found herself unable to do anything but lay there and ruminate on the situation. Was her immediate insomnia caused by the utter shock of this new nursery, or perhaps was it the realization of just how serious Retsu was about this punishment? Sure, she was clearly not joking about it, what with her new underwear and the lack of potty privileges and all, but to replace all the guest room furniture with specially made baby furnishings and all the Kido necessary to make the ruse work was just another level entirely. It was beyond the usual effort, a dedication that made the gravity of this situation threaten to collapse onto her own sanity.

The mobile jingled quietly above her head, a reminder of how bizarre this situation truly was. Was it really so bad that she wanted to train to protect her and her comrades? Perhaps she had taken it a bit too far, sure, but did that really necessitate Retsu's reaction? The spanking was bad enough on its own, but this babying was so utterly peculiar that she could not help but wonder how it would solve anything. It would keep her in Retsu's sight all the time and forcibly dependant on the woman, but would making her a regular houseguest not offer the same thing, if a bit muted? This humiliation did not really drive home any lesson about the dangers of overworking herself, just that Unohana was not to be crossed, but she was pretty sure there was no one in the Soul Society who did not already know that.

Try as she might, she was unable to fall asleep. Her body was sore from use and exhaustion, but her mind buzzed with activity. The pacifier in her mouth did little to help matters, a constant distraction whenever her mind wandered. And worst, it served no real purpose other than furthering the embarrassment; at least the bottle from the previous night had rewarded her with water as she babyishly suckled on the rubber nipple. Not the best trade-off, but at least it was something.

Rukia rolled onto her side, hoping that would induce the sleep she so desperately wanted to take hold of her. It was then that she first noticed the other inhabitant of her crib, an orange stuffed rabbit about two feet tall, with floppy ears that would add another foot to its height if they were standing up straight. Her adulthood pride was fighting a battle with her more openly childish love of both plush toys and bunnies; it took all her willpower not to cuddle the non-existent life out of the thing. Instead, she merely lifted it up and thoroughly examined it, as if she had never seen a stuffed animal before. Its stomach and ears were a lighter shade of orange, its eyes two blue glass marbles.

"So, what are you imprisoned in here for?" Rukia joked, "Grand theft carrot?" Even she had to cringe at her own lame joke, though it was a nice distraction from her inability to sleep. Her words were a bit muddled due to the pacifier she knew better than to remove, but as it was just a stuffed animal she was talking to, it was not exactly that important that her words were comprehensible.

Back in the kitchen, Unohana merely smiled as she listened in on the baby monitor that the girl clearly had no idea had been hidden in her new nursery. She knew that the girl liked rabbits, but she had assumed that it would take her a bit longer to get comfortable with the one she had chosen for her. It almost made up for the fact that her charge was not using naptime for some much needed sleep. Almost.

"You're not very talkative, are you?" Rukia asked, staring at the unwavering glass eyes of the toy. "Look at me, talking to a stuffed animal, as if it were going to respond back…" She sighed, stretching her sore muscles as she laid back down against her soft pillow. She was not sure how much time had passed, but it was certainly time spent awake, even hugging the plush bunny to her body did nothing for her temporary insomnia.

"Ah, I see you're still awake." Unohana spoke, surprising the girl. "Who's your new friend?"

"O-Oh, she's…um, Chappy." The young woman replied, a blush spreading across her face. The name was an obvious choice for a bunny, but it was too appealing to ignore.

"I see, that is a cute name. Fitting, too." Retsu referred to the children's show character of the same name, though whether it was fitting because the character was also a bunny or because the show was aimed at children, Rukia could not – nor desired to – discern.

The side of the crib was lowered onto the carpeting, freeing Rukia from what might as well have been a cage. Not that she was actually free to leave, but it still felt less stifling, in any case. The covers were pulled off her body in a quick tug and Retsu glanced down at the padding between the girl's legs, clearly unused. Still though, two of her fingers slid into the legband of the garment, confirming what both of them already knew, though the slight yelp elicited by the action certainly implied that it added some more embarrassment onto the ever-growing pile.

"Still dry. Well, no matter, let's get some yummy dinner into your tummy." Hearing the Captain coo as if she was speaking to an actual toddler was so…odd. She had heard the nickname of "Captain Mom" given behind the woman's back by various Shinigami, though never anywhere close to someone who would tell Retsu of said nickname, but to hear her speak in such a motherly way seemed so strange and unlike her all the same.

Without a chance to say anything, Rukia was lifted out of the crib and against Retsu's body, Chappy left to dangle by its arm in Rukia's grip. She had not exactly meant to take it with her, but she had been lifted so suddenly that she did not have a chance to leave the toy behind. Now that she was off the ground, dropping it just seemed rude, even though it was just a stuffed animal and the drop was just a couple of feet. The Captain used one arm to support Rukia's padded backside against the woman's waist, while the other wrapped around the girl's back, Rukia's arms around Retsu's shoulders and neck. The position caused Rukia to blush, not just because it was the way one might carry a large child, but also because of the way her body was being lightly pressed against the woman's much more mature bosom. Even through the woman's thick, soft robe, it was quite noticeable against her own petite body.

Out of the guest bedroom and into the kitchen, where there was a large high chair waiting for her, because of course there was. The tray was open, awaiting the woman who certainly did not want to be placed in it. But, despite her unspoken qualms, her padded behind was removed from Unohana's embrace and seated down anyway. She shifted her arms such that Chappy was able to sit immediately in front of her body in the seat, coming up just past her chest. The tray was closed a moment later, not giving her enough time to lift her arms up to allow their freedom. As the tray clicked into place, she realized that that was the plan, it was tight enough to keep her arms from being able to slip through, but not enough to be uncomfortably squeezing. Retsu could only let out a small, quiet laugh at her houseguest's struggle, an adorably futile attempt to escape the inevitable.

"Don't fuss, sweetie, your food will be ready soon." They both knew that was not the cause of her struggle, so it was clear that the intent was to be condescending, even if it was not outright stated.

A few moments later, Retsu transferred the bowls of food that she had prepared to the tray of the high chair, though it was certainly not what she had expected. Instead of a standard meal, she was looking at a bowl of macaroni and cheese, a bowl of apple sauce and a plate of chicken cut up into bite-size pieces. Not exactly the most adult meal, but a lot less surprising than it would have been a few days ago. However, Retsu had not left any utensils for her, not that she could use them with her arms pinned down, but the lack still annoyed her. Though, that paled in comparison to what came next; a quick flash of motion and suddenly Retsu had done…something. Rukia glanced down and saw a new garment adorning her chest, a cloth piece of fabric that was yellow and rounded at the bottom, adorned with embroidered ducks and tied around her neck: a bib. She sighed, but said nothing else about the item; it was just too pointless to argue over something minor anymore, when it would not lead to anything changing.

It was just as unavoidable as the growing need to relieve her bladder, getting to the point of being uncomfortable. She had first recognized it when she was being carried back from training, but it was not so significant then. Even if she was going to be forced to use her diapers, she was not going to do so at the first instant that she felt her bladder tug at her, she was adamant towards holding on to it as long as she reasonably could, at least for her pride's sake if nothing else. But by now, after her failed nap, it was starting to reach that point. It was a tough decision to just allow one's bladder to release while still clothed, even if diapered, but she might as well get it over with and get the humiliating change out of the way as soon as possible. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she flooded the waiting garment, feeling a relaxing yet embarrassing warmth around her waist. She had done this a few times now, yet it was never any less embarrassing, though she supposed that reaching a point where it was not embarrassing for her to wet herself was not exactly ideal, either. The diaper expanded and became discolored from the accident, very much visible to Unohana even though the girl was sitting in a highchair. The warmth was not unpleasant, but the context of its existence was not exactly comforting.

"U-Um…b-before I eat, I…um…need a change…" Rukia mumbled, her face more and more resembling a tomato as she tried to let her caretaker know.

"I'm sorry, what was that, dear? I couldn't make that out." Rukia knew she was lying, but she was not exactly in a situation to call her out on it.

"I, um, need a change…" Rukia managed to get out, a bit more clear than before.

"Sorry, what was that?" The smile told Rukia everything, no matter how nice and inconspicuous the smile appeared, it was certainly proof that Retsu was just trying to get Rukia to admit it outright.

"I need a change…" She managed to mutter.

"A change of what, dear?" Retsu's faux-ignorance was only making Rukia more humiliated.

"My diaper…" She managed to squeak out, hating to recognize the existence of the garment.

"What about it?" Retsu continued her smile, asking happily as if she did not notice Rukia's growing mortification.

"It...my diaper needs to be changed…" Her shame was overwhelming, but she had finally gotten it out. It would be worth it to get into a fresh diaper before the current one started to cool off and became uncomfortable as well as more embarrassing.

"And why's that?" Now she was just being evil, it seemed.

"Because it's used…" Some of the embarrassment from Rukia switched to anger, but her face had already been so red that there was no way to tell that.

"Hmm? Used? How so?" The woman questioned, knowing full well what the answer was.

"I…wet myself…"

"You did what now?"

"…I…I…peed myself…" Rukia mumbled, her face red-hot with shame and embarrassment. Rukia saw the woman's eyebrow raise, as if she was still confused about what she meant, but then she realized the significance of what Retsu was trying to push her towards. "I…peed my diaper and need to be changed…." It was perhaps the most humiliating sentence she had ever uttered, and she could not think of anything more embarrassing that could be stated between adults. Not that she felt like much of an adult at the moment, but she had to hold on to the idea that she was, lest she fall into Unohana's game.

"Oh, well why did you not just say so, dear?" Retsu cooed, eliciting a glare from the diapered girl, "I'm sure it can wait, though, you should eat to keep your strength up."

Rukia said nothing, merely blinked and stared at the woman. She had just put her through that ordeal, bringing forth every iota of embarrassment she could squeeze out of the scenario, and did not even plan on changing her right away? Had she known that, she probably would have just waited until Retsu had checked on her own, like she was wont to do. Though that would lead to embarrassment of its own, as she was sure Unohana would use that situation to tease the girl and suggest she did not know that she had wet herself. Probably still not as embarrassing as having to be led down an unnecessary method of letting the woman know, but humiliating all the same.

Humming a simple tune as she moved across the kitchen, Unohana very cheerily picked up a few utensils and headed back over to the defeated girl. The first Rukia saw was a small plastic spoon, bright pink in color and clearly meant to be used for a baby, not that she was surprised by this point. Her pacifier was finally removed from her lips, placed in the sink presumably to be cleaned later, probably so she could use it all the more often. Unohana started by scooping up a bit of the apple sauce and brought it towards Rukia's mouth, waving it back and forth a bit as if she was dangling a piece of string in front of a cat.

"Open up for your yummy food, dear~" Unohana cooed, poking the spoon against the girl's lips.

Rukia sighed, but opened her mouth anyway. She was far too defeated to bother arguing or fighting against her meal. She was hungry, anyway, so she might as well accept the food, however it was being presented to her. She liked apple sauce, so the mashed fruit slid into her mouth was not the worst thing ever. What was much more annoying, however, was the fact that she had apple sauce smeared around her lips, as if aiming a spoon was a herculean task instead of a triviality. It must have been done purposefully, but the young woman said nothing as she felt a few drops of apple sauce fall off her chin and onto her bib. Alternating between apple sauce and macaroni and cheese, Unohana fed the woman, getting more food on her face and bib than in her mouth. Soon the two bowls of food were done, the spoon placed on the tray now that it was no longer of use. However, the fork was picked up almost immediately, speared into the first piece of chicken. Rukia ate the bird chunks as they were fed to her, grateful that they were not able to cause the mess that the other two foods were, which might have been why the pace she was fed had increased to a more natural rhythm. It took just a few minutes for the plate to be emptied of the chicken bites, leaving a full, satisfied girl who also looked like she ate her food with only her face.

"You are quite a messy eater, but at least you ate some of your meal, dear." Retsu teased, releasing a simple laugh that was somehow more condescending than her words. It was not an outwardly cruel, derisive laugh, it would sound to anyone else like a cheery laugh, but Rukia could discern the intentions behind it, able to recognize the shame she was supposed to feel from the whole situation.

"Can I get changed now…?" Rukia muttered, trying not to focus on the indignity she had been forced to suffer.

"Soon" was the only response she received, finding her face rubbed somewhat clean by the also dirtied bib, until she could at least recognize there was no food still dripping off of it. Thankfully, the tray was lifted off her just a moment later, the sullied bib crumpled and tossed onto the counter. Rukia knew better than to try to get down on her own, allowing Unohana to lift her and Chappy into her embrace. However, instead of heading towards the guest bedroom, Retsu carried the girl into the living area and sat on the couch. Rukia had a feeling she knew what was coming, but still sighed when she saw the bottle pulled out of the woman's sleeve. It appeared to be apple juice this time, as opposed to milk, but the container was the more important issue here.

Her body was shifted on Retsu's lap, such that her sodden behind was on the woman's lap, her tummy supporting Chappy as she laid against the older woman's body, uneagerly awaiting the drink she was not thrilled was coming. The nipple was popped into her mouth, basically the same as the pacifier she had recently had removed after a stint of a few hours betwixt her lips, though this time she was at least rewarded with the sweet nectar of apple juice. Her diaper was becoming more uncomfortable as it cooled, the warmth that was merely embarrassing before was now uncomfortable, clammy and even more embarrassing than before. By the time she had finished suckling the juice inside, the diaper had gotten to the point where she was nearly ready to beg for a change, instead of waiting for Unohana to get to it on her own.

"There you go, all gone." Retsu cooed, shifting the young woman so that her face was over her shoulder. Rukia knew what was required of her, but still did not appreciate the gentle smacks to her back that were an attempt to elicit some gas, or at least attempt to appear like it. After a few smacks, Rukia managed to work a small burp up in her stomach, though the release of the gas bubble was louder and more of a belch than she intended. "Perfect, you must have enjoyed that bottle of juice quite a lot, huh?" Rukia stayed silent, not wanting to give Retsu the satisfaction of acknowledging that burp.

"Can I get changed now…?" Rukia questioned again, trying not to look Unohana in the eyes as she asked.

"Hmm…" Retsu responded, clearly just pretending to be deep in thought. She shifted Rukia away from her shoulder, letting the girl sit on her knee. Before Rukia had a chance to question it, Retsu began shifting her knee up and down, bouncing the young woman as if she was as light as an actual toddler. Each bounce accompanied by a crinkle, creating a cacophony of rustling material, though the wetness that was quite obvious upon each bounce was dulling the crinkling by a decent degree.

"Yes, I suppose we should get you cleaned up now, huh?" Retsu finally stated, causing Rukia to smile for the first time in awhile, though she quickly realized what was making her happy and brought her face back to a more annoyed state, as it had been since she had been introduced to this new lifestyle of hers.

The woman lifted the shorter woman back into her arms, but instead of walking towards the guest bedroom, she went the opposite direction. Before Rukia had a chance to question where they were going now, she was carried into the bathroom of the home, a place she realized that she had not seen for days. Not this specific bathroom, of course, but any bathroom at all. Just seeing the toilet made her all the more aware of the very used diaper pressing up against her flesh. As if to taunt her more, Retsu sat her down on the closed lid of the porcelain throne, giving her a look that told her not to get up.

The squealing of metal followed by the rush of flowing water filled the small room, the bathtub slowly filling with the clear liquid. Rukia had to admit, a bath would be most welcome right about now, she had not had one since she had woken up from her unconscious state. Still though, there had to be some kind of catch, knowing Unohana, or, at least, knowing this woman using that name and appearance that had been shaming her for the past few days. Before this, she never would have thought the woman was capable or willing to do such a thing, even with her legendary reputation. The time seemed to pass slowly as the tub filled, the woman continually checking and adjusting the knobs to presumably reach the desired temperature.

"I did say you were going to get cleaned up now, did I not?" Unohana replied to the query that had been unasked, turning off the spigots when the tub reached the appropriate level.

Retsu picked Rukia up by her armpits and stood the young woman up on the tiled floor, making sure she let go of Chappy so it could stay seated on the toilet seat. It was the first time since she had been training earlier that day that she had been allowed to stand up on her own volition, as opposed to being carried everywhere. It was a nice bit of control she had thought had vanished with the emergence of her nursery, at least when in the wall's of Unohana's house; she was allowed some independence when outside in the Seireitei, however short that time was.

Her used diaper sagged dangerously from the rapidly cooling liquid it was holding back, threatening to slide down Rukia's thin legs. It hung like a water balloon over a balcony, ready to be dropped on an unsuspecting individual at any moment. Unohana reached down and undid one of the tapes on the left and that was all it took to cause the garment to slide to the floor with a wet plop. Her face immediately went red, wishing for the first time that she had been assaulted with a cacophony of crinkles instead of that even more humiliating sound. Her shirt was pulled off immediately afterwards, her hands moving to cover her exposed nudity as quickly as she could get them to. Unohana balled the used diaper up and dropped it into the small trash can next to the toilet, giggling as she saw Rukia attempt to hide her nudity.

"No need to be modest, dear. I have changed your diapers, you know." Retsu joked, moving Rukia's hands away from their covering positions. It was not quite the normal usage of that clichéd line from the woman, but that somehow made its meaning all the more true, even if Rukia did not want to admit it.

Rukia found herself swept up off the floor and gently placed into the warm waters of the bath. It was no hot spring, but it was comfortable all the same. She stretched her legs, relaxing into the water. It really was quite nice to be able to just relax in a nice, tepid bath again, it was one of the things she had taken for granted when she was able to live as an adult, up there with using the toilet and not sleeping in a glorified cage.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of fabric pooling onto the tiled floor. She turned to look and saw Unohana, her plush robe lying discarded on the floor. Her eyes grew wide as she saw the woman, her underwear on full display. They were deep blue in color, much more mature and adult than any of her own underwear, even when she had been able to choose and wear her own. Her own panties might as well have been diapers for how immature they looked compared to the lacy kind that Unohana was currently sporting. The woman also released her hair tie, allowing her long raven hair to cascade across her back instead of being tied up in the front, as free as if her locks had never been tied in that large braided ponytail at all. This only made it all the more shocking when the woman proceeded to unclasp her bra and bare her sizable bosom. Rukia was too much in shock to say anything, that feeling only growing when the woman proceeded to do the next logical step and slide her underwear down her shapely legs. Fully nude, Retsu looked up and saw the astonished look on the smaller woman's face.

"Is something wrong, dear?" Retsu queried, not losing that smile she had honed for so long.

"I-I…n-no…" Rukia stammered, unable to look away from the woman's curvaceous body.

"I need to bathe, too, dear. It is next to impossible to get time to oneself when taking care of a baby." She spoke as if she had been just been referring to Rukia herself as the baby in need of taking care of, as if she could not be trusted to not get in trouble when being left by herself. "Is this embarrassing you? You have been to the public bathhouses before, have you not?"

"W-well, yes…but…" There was no end to that sentence, the woman's logic held up just fine. She had seen any number of her female friends and coworkers in the buff before, but that was in a somewhat public situation, not this intimate, private scenario that was just the two of them and a bathtub. It was not even a very large bathtub, at that. It was enough to fit the two of them, sure, but it would be a bit of a tight fit, at the very least.

Retsu, taking Rukia's silence as a sign that she had no more arguments to express, walked over to the tub and slid into the water next to the embarrassed young woman. The level of water in the tub rose much more with her entrance than it did for Rukia, a fact the younger Shinigami was quick to notice. It was hard, nay impossible, not to stare at the nude body next to her, both due to awe and embarrassment. Despite all the babying and the bottlefeeding and the nursery and the diaper wearing, using and changing, Rukia had never felt more infantile than she did now, with her petite body right next to the curvaceous woman who had been the one performing all those tasks for her, repeatedly comparing the two of them in her mind.

Unohana seemed to be worrying less about that, though why should she, she was the one with the mature body, after all, and more about actually treating this as a bath. Not willing to let Rukia do basically anything for herself, Retsu began spreading body wash on Rukia's form, lathering her own up after wards. The water washed the sudsy buildup away, leaving a pleasant flowery scent lingering in the air. Unohana wasted no time in washing her charge's hair, of course using some fruity-smelling no-tears shampoo advertised for children. Rukia had nothing to say about the shampoo, though, in a battle of indignities, this came nowhere close to measuring up. After her own hair was shampooed and conditioned with a more appropriately adult product, Unohana opened the drain and allowed the water to begin its descent.

"All clean~" The gorgeous Shinigami crooned, standing up and allowing the water to stream down her bare body. She stepped out of the tub and lifted the still bright red young woman with her, holding her against her body with one arm while she grabbed a few towels with the other. Of course Rukia was not allowed to dry herself off, that would just be too simple and dignified for Retsu to allow.

With both of them as dry as they were going to get for now, Unohana put her robe back on sans underwear, allowing her hair to remain outside of her usual braid, free to cascade down her back. Rukia herself was not even given that dignity, merely given Chappy to hold onto once more, her otherwise still nude body held against the plush robe. Her behind was supported by Retsu's hand, a fact that made her blush. Despite the fact that this woman had seen her naked, changed her diapers and just bathed her, it still embarrassed her to have her bare butt held by her. Despite her current state of undress, she was carried out of the bathroom, not even given her shirt to put back on. She understood why she had no bottoms, as much as she did not like it, her diaper had been rightfully thrown away and there had been no spares in the bathroom for her to be changed into, but there was no reason she could not be put back into that shirt, other than the desire to embarrass her.

"I think it is bedtime for you, little one." Retsu suddenly spoke, walking the two of them into the nursery.

Rukia sighed both at the proclamation and the sight of the rearranged bedroom, but also said nothing else in response. Retsu smiled, as if that sigh was a show of acceptance and not annoyance, and gently placed Rukia on the changing table. It was the first time she had used the new piece of furniture, and she found it to be less comfortable than the bed, its padding not as soft as the plush mattress of the bed turned crib. Of course, more importantly, it was only designed for her to get her diaper changes upon it as well as to store the supplies needed for said changes, which was a bit more important than the minor difference in comfort.

Chappy was pushed up further along her body by the older woman, so that she could go about the change properly without it getting in the way. Rukia responded by clutching the plush toy tighter, her only friend in this continually awkward situation. Retsu skipped the wiping this time, the bath doing that job for her, though she seemed to make up for having to skip a step by using more baby powder than normal and doing a more thorough job of spreading it around and rubbing it in. Rukia felt her behind lifted off the table, a crinkling sound alerting her to the garment being slid along the table under her. A moment later she was laid back down, the garment taped snugly around her lower body. Something felt different about it, but she could not make out what it was.

"All done, sweetie. Wait there while I get your pajamas." Retsu cooed, patting the front of the diaper as she was wont to do.

Rukia sat up into position, wondering idly whether she would have rather remained naked or have been put into the humiliating protective garment. Her rhetorical thoughts went unanswered, as she realized once again that something was wrong with the diaper. For one, her legs were much harder to close, bowed out from the bulk of the garment. That was certainly not the case earlier, causing her to move Chappy away so she could look down at the diaper she had been given. The shock nearly caused her to fall off of the padded table; instead of the simple diapers she had been wearing up till now, the one she had been placed in was significantly thicker and worse of all, was decorated in little bunny patterns, which, while cute, were more appropriate for a diaper designed for babies, not one for simple incontinence. Her earlier briefs were the ones used in a hospital, functional but simple. This, however, was like wearing three of those, one over the other, with an infantile paint job.

Where did the Captain even get these things, anyway? What purpose could there be in such infantile diapers in this size? Even with her short, thin stature, she probably could not fit into a diaper for a baby, but even on the off chance that she could, it would definitely not be the bulky behemoth that this was. Her thoughts were interrupted as a garment of clothing was slipped over her head, temporarily shutting off the world from her eyes. But soon enough, her head poked through the top, greeted with the overly cheery face of her tormenter and caretaker.

"Cute, are they not?" Retsu cooed, adjusting Rukia's hair to fix it after the shirt had mussed it up a bit, "I know how much my little one loves bunnies."

It was so sickeningly sweet, but Rukia said nothing in response, there was nothing she could say that would not just make the situation worse. Besides, if her diaper had to be covered in babyish designs, she had to reluctantly admit that she would take bunnies over most anything else. With the shirt on, Retsu helped Rukia off the changing table, but instead of placing her in the crib, she actually had her stand on the floor, though it was not easy with the much increased bulk pushing her legs apart. She tried to take a few steps to get used to it, but they were more like a waddle than actual walking, as much as it annoyed her to put on such a show in front of her caretaker.

"How cute~" Retsu giggled as she watched the shorter woman, looking as if she was learning to walk for the first time, "But stay still now so I can finish getting you ready for the day."

Rukia stopped, more out of a desire to stop putting on such a display than any desire to obey her superior's commands, not that she would not anyway, the punishment for not doing so were to be avoided at all costs. She wondered what Retsu had meant by that, though, she had assumed that she had just finished getting her ready, but apparently not. The woman answered this by reaching down and connecting two flaps that hung from the front and back of the shirt between her legs, plastic snapping sounds connecting the fabric swatches. This gave the young woman the opportunity to actually notice what she was wearing, she had no reason to presume it was anything else other than a flannel shirt, but now that she had just had the crotch snaps she did not know were there connected, it was more like an adult onesie, something that should not have surprised her. It was purple in color, thankfully devoid of any patterns or embroidery that made it look more childish, though just being a onesie basically made it as infantile as it could be already. She even noticed some extra cloth bundled on the back near her neck, which a quick probing with her hands revealed to be a hood. It even had two protrusions on it which reminded her of, and considering everything else, probably were, a pair of bunny ears, at least a foot long. It would have been the utmost of adorable on a toddler or baby, but on adult it was baffling, not the least of which why they even made these in such a size.

"Up you go!" Retsu interrupted her thoughts, quickly lifting the girl off her feet and into the crib, the side still down from when she was released earlier. "Good night, dear. You have another long day ahead of you tomorrow."

"…Good night." Rukia muttered in response, her eyes beginning to flutter as the fatigue of her training and insomnia-ridden nap began to catch up to her.

Retsu smiled in response and gave the young woman a simple kiss on the forehead. She leaned back up and slid the side of the crib into place, locking it securely. Another bottle was placed in the crib, as opposed to on the table as it was on the previous day, apple juice this time, instead of water. Rukia let out a small, unintentional yawn and allowed the older woman to tuck her in under the covers. The shock of the nursery had worn off enough that she was able to feel herself drifting off into sleep, clutching Chappy to her body and not even knowing whether it was Retsu's or her own hand that plopped the bottle's nipple between her lips.


	7. Chapter 7

Rukia had never been the most cognizant when she was tired, especially when woken up in the middle of the night. By the bit of light streaming through the window, it was probably dawn or just a bit after, a few hours earlier than she would have liked to wake up had she had her way. Retsu was not the one that woke her up, so she rolled over to her other side and tried to fall back asleep, finding her mind begin to drift away back to the land of slumber. Why she had woken up at this time was unknown to her, but she was in no state of mind to try to determine that at the moment, only able to allow an odd feeling of relief to wash over her as a warmth spread through her lower body, seemingly separate from the warmth of her blanket. However, there was no time or mental acuity to wonder about the odd feeling, just the blissful pull of sleep.

Hours later, the morning sun was strong enough to wake her up once more, though this time it was a more natural awakening than previously. The young woman sighed as she saw the crib around her, hoping by some miracle that she had only dreamed about the nursery that had been built so quickly. But no, it was all too real, further confirmed by the diaper she could feel was still securely around her waist. Of course, she could remove it if she wanted to and was willing to suffer the punishment Retsu would lay upon her, but her behind seemed to flare up in pain as if to remind her about how bad that idea was. As simple as it would be to do so, Rukia just had to keep the damp padding on until-wait, damp!? The young woman's hand began to quaver as she slowly brought it back down to the diaper, pressing against the material of her onesie to feel and hear a mix of squishing and crinkling, the wet innards of the diaper underneath pressing against her own flesh and confirming her fears.

It was not her first wet diaper, but it was the only one that came as a surprise, as opposed to a necessary but conscious release of an aching bladder. She had never wet the bed when she was younger, yet here she was waking up in a wet diaper. The padding was thick enough that it was in no danger of leaking from her accident, far from it, but it was still noticeably used, sagging a bit between her legs, even with the onesie. Her mind simultaneously worked overtime and faltered as it tried to rationalize why she had this type of nocturnal accident. She wanted to imagine it was just the stress of this punishment and treatment she had been put under, as opposed to the terrifying alternative that Retsu was untraining her, psychologically breaking her control and spirit to force her to need the garments she was being forced to use and wear. Retsu was certainly…cruel, as she had learned firsthand, but was she really merciless to such an extreme? It scared her that she had no idea if she was or not.

The sound of the door opening jolted Rukia from her thoughts, her face turning hot and red as she saw Retsu walk in. She pulled the blanket immediately back over herself, an attempt to hide what she could from the woman, not that it would accomplish much.

"Good morning, dear." Retsu spoke, obnoxiously cheerful for how early it was. She was already fully dressed, too, probably awake for an hour or two already.

"Morning…" Rukia muttered, purposefully excluding the word "good" from that.

"I'm glad to see someone enjoyed their bottle." Retsu merely smiled as she gently lowered the side of the crib.

Rukia looked confused for a moment, but then remembered that she had been put to bed with a bottle of apple juice in her crib the previous night. There it was, lying on its side near her pillow, almost entirely empty. She could not remember drinking from it at all, yet the proof was right there next to her, unarguable. Unless Retsu had put a nearly empty bottle in her crib last night for this very reason, though it would be strange even for her to attempt such a strategy.

The woman pulled the blanket off Rukia's body quite quickly, a simple smirk breaching her face for just a moment before returning to a more stoic expression. Rukia noticed this momentary changed countenance, fearing that the woman was aware of the state of her padding, as if she was well trained enough to notice the slightly different way the thick diaper sat between her legs under the onesie. Yet Retsu said nothing about it, which made Rukia wonder if she was just being paranoid. Yet, Retsu's next action was to slip two of her fingers under the outfit and into the legband of the diaper, feeling around for a second before pulling them back out.

"Well, let's get you changed, dear. You have another long day ahead of you!" She spoke, sliding her arms under the girl's body.

"I-I woke up and had to go so I went, that's why I'm wet." Rukia muttered without being prompted.

Retsu merely gave her a simple smile but said nothing in response, perhaps knowing it was a lie, and lifted her off the mattress and into her arms. The young woman was placed on the changing table, her face still bright red from what had happened and what was to occur. Her onesie was removed, causing her to cross her arms over her bare chest to preserve whatever infinitesimal speck of dignity she had left. A situation not at all helped as her caretaker pressed her hand down against the slightly discolored garment, as if to assess how it had been used, but most likely just to give an unnecessary and unwanted reminder that it was wet.

"Hmm, well, it can certainly withstand another wetting, but I suppose it will be better to change you now, anyway." It was as if she was trying to give a rationale for the act she had just performed, but Rukia did not believe it for one moment.

It was at this moment that Rukia realized that she had to go to the bathroom again. Yet, it was not her bladder that was aching for release this time. Her face immediately reddened as she thought about the prospect. It was true that she had not released her bowels since she had arrived in Unohana's care, so it was only natural, but she had not even thought about it until this moment.

"C-captain, I-I have to go to the bathroom…" Rukia weakly muttered out.

"Hmm? I think you already went, dear." The woman responded, giving Rukia a derisive pat on the head.

"I-I mean, the other way…" Her face was burning hot with embarrassment as she mentioned that.

"Oh, I see." The woman responded. Rukia thought she saw a slight smile flash on her face for just a moment, but she could not be sure it was not just her imagination. "Well, I do not see why you are telling me, dear. Go ahead so I can change your already wet diaper."

"B-but…" Rukia muttered, beginning to panic. Surely Retsu did not expect her to do that in her diapers, as well. It was one thing to expect her to wet herself; that was bad enough. But to demand that she also not use the potty for this type of release was just insane. She refused, staunchly refused to use her diaper for that purpose. It was not even a matter of embarrassment, but comfort; it would just be so…disgusting to do that. Retsu might have declared that she was all but a baby for the duration of this punishment, but there was still a difference between her, a functional adult with complete control over the release of her bodily waste, and an actual baby, who had no control at all nor the sentience to recognize why that control was important.

"No but[t]s, except for your soon to be messy one." Unohana sternly responded. "If you want to hold it in, that is your prerogative, but I will not allow you to reach a point where it will be detrimental to your health, nor will I be changing you again this morning. That will occur hours from now when we take a break from your training."

Rukia froze, while the health issue was not going to be a problem (she could not hold it in long enough to cause risk, even if she wanted to), the declaration that she would not be changed again until later certainly was. She was not sure how much longer she would be able to hold it in, a few hours seemed possible, but considering the amount of energy and concentration her training took, it was also possible that she would not be able to last the entire time, especially as she imagined that Retsu would do everything in her power to delay a change as long as possible to punish the girl for being stubborn. Just the thought of having to sit around in such a mess for a prolonged period of time waiting for a change was just terrible, and she would definitely not be able to concentrate one one-hundredth of what was necessary for proper training in that case.

After what felt like hours of internal struggling and conflict, Rukia eventually came to a decision, no matter how much she hated it. With a deep breath, Rukia began to allow her muscles to relax, tears beginning to fall down as she emptied her bowels. She knew how infantile it was to cry while doing so, but she just hated it so much that she did not care; it was not as if she was left with much dignity to shatter, anyway.

"Shh, it's okay. Let's just get you changed, sweetie." Retsu whispered in a hushed tone, patting and rubbing the young woman on the back gently.

Tears continued to fall into the haori of the woman as she lifted Rukia into the air and rocked her gently back and forth. It did not help that she was supporting her with one arm under her padded behind, pressing the mess around in a way that just made Rukia more aware of what she just did. The tears soon slowed down as she realized that the only way to get herself changed and out of this incredible discomfort was to end this charade of being comforted by meaningless pats and platitudes.

"There we go, we'll get you clean in just a moment." Retsu cooed at her, as the tears slowed to a trickle.

Sensing that the crying was over, the woman placed Rukia back down onto the changing table, eliciting a small yelp as the mess shifted under her once more. Her hands covered her face from sheer embarrassment as she heard the diaper's tapes get torn off, the crinkling garment being opened to expose what was making her face as red as a tomato. The cold wipe touching upon her flesh was much appreciated as it was used to clean the mess of off her. It took quite a few wipes, but after a bit of time, Retsu had managed to get the young woman's bottom to be as clean as…well, a baby's bottom.

The diaper change proceeded as normal after that, ending with the still mortified girl's annoyance at finding herself in another of the needlessly thick diapers, babyish bunny patterns on the front. Despite her arguing that the diapers from the previous couple days would be better, Retsu would have none of it, claiming that she looked much cuter in her "little bunny diapers", ending any argument the girl could muster through the sheer lack of logical rebuttal.

Just as the previous day, Rukia was helped into her usual Shihakusho and led out into the kitchen for some breakfast. This time she was not lucky enough to be allowed to eat on her own, Unohana feeding her in the high chair adorned with a bib much as she was the previous day. She was, however, allowed to drink the bottle on her own, once her hands had been freed from the confines of the tray pinning her arms to the side. She knew better than to try to argue again, and her thirst was enough to get her to drink the bottle of cool milk, anyway.

With that they were off, back to the empty training hall so she could train her own skills under Retsu's supervision. The journey there was still nerve-wracking, paranoid thoughts entering the young woman's mind as if people would be able to recognize the simple bag that Unohana carried as a diaper bag and infer the truth from that. Though it probably did not help that she was carrying Chappy clutched in one hand on the way there, but she liked the toy too much to want to cast any type of blame on it, though she would never admit to that fondness.

The training was similar to the previous day, though it started with her attempts at mending the special canvas sheet, as yesterday's original display was no longer needed as a teaching method. It was once again tiring work, every time she thought she had done it right, she was told otherwise once Retsu inspected it. It was not exactly a surprise that she was a perfectionist in this manner, though it was disheartening all the same every time she failed the inspection. It would be for the best in the end, she knew, but in the heat of the moment, it led to a lot of exasperation and annoyance both at her own inability to succeed and Retsu for, well, everything that had happened in the past few days.

She trained for the next few hours, only stopping twice; once for a snack and a bottle of apple juice that Retsu insisted on feeding to her in her lap, and once for a diaper change that she had been hoping to wait for until they returned to Retsu's home. It just felt worse to get changed in the big open training hall, even if there was no chance of someone walking in on them during. Perhaps it was the silence and openness that made each crinkle and tape-ripping echo loudly or perhaps it was just the knowledge that they were technically in public, as opposed to the privacy of the woman's home. Either way, once Retsu noticed that Rukia had finally allowed her aching bladder to release, there was no argument that Rukia could successfully get across to delay the inevitable change.

Near the end of the day's training session, Rukia was exhausted, both physically and mentally. Yet, as she handed the canvas sheet back to Unohana, she was in for a surprise. Instead of a quick inspection followed by the sheet being slashed once again, Unohana just nodded and placed it upon the ground carefully.

"Very good, you've finally gotten the hang of it." Retsu spoke, giving the girl a smile. Whether it was genuine accolades or just platitudes, Rukia could not discern, but she wanted to believe that her hard work the past few days had finally led to triumph.

"So…I'm done?" Rukia questioned, wondering if that meant that she could heal actual injuries now, even if just as a superficial level.

"How cute." Unohana even giggled a bit as she replied, turning back towards the large trunk where the canvas sheet had been stored.

From inside, she pulled out another sheet, this one a bit darker in color and appearing to be a slight bit more thick than the one she had been practicing on the past two days. Without a word, Unohana sliced it in the same manner as she did the previous one, following that up by actually slicing the previous one for what must have been the thousandth time by now.

"The human body is not just a block of uniform material." Retsu began, before Rukia even had a chance to ask, "It is layers of skin and tissues and vessels and muscles and tendons and more. You showed that you have the capability to heal a uniform layer that has been cut, which is just the beginning. Now you need to learn to control your reiatsu to the point where you can heal multiple, different layers perfectly and simultaneously. You will start with two layers and work your way up to more once you show you can successfully suture two."

It was deflating, the immediate thrill of success shattered by the harsh reality that she had merely taken the first baby step towards actual success. What had seemed like an accomplishment was merely a tiny increment towards what she was actually working for. With a sigh, she nodded simply and looked over the two layers she was meant to heal.

Her first attempt felt like a step backwards to her; the second sheet was very clearly incorrectly mended, and even the original was not correct despite her mastering the ability to heal the first sheet over the past two days. It seemed that trying to balance her reiatsu to heal two separate canvases at once not only was difficult, but interrupted her concentration on mending the first one. The addition of the second sheet was a monumental difficulty increment, as opposed to just doubling the effort and complexity of accomplishing the task.

"Hmm, no good. But this is why we are training so keep at it." Unohana lectured, slicing the fabric once more.

The several few days followed the same routine, waking up to a diaper change (having wet sometime overnight in about half the instances), being fed breakfast in her highchair, drinking a bottle of milk, heading off to training, and coming back for a nap, dinner, a bath with Retsu and then being put to bed early, with various diaper changes added in at any step when it was necessary. That included two more messes that was still mortifying and uncomfortable for the poor Soul Reaper. Her training advanced slowly but steadily, gradually having her mend both sheets at once at a level that Unohana considered adequate. Of course, that only led to another sheet being added for another exponential increase in difficulty. But days and days of continued training had helped to get her through Unohana's exercises, eventually able to mend seven different density canvas sheets at the same time. It was no small task and tired her out much moreso than she imagined it did for Unohana, but she was also the greatest healer in the entire Soul Society, so that was no small surprise.

"You've finally managed to heal seven sheets at once. Good job, I am quite impressed." Retsu smiled as she praised her trainee.

"Thanks…" Rukia replied, taking deep breaths as if she had just run a marathon.

"That's enough for the day. Let's get you changed and then head back home." Retsu said casually, eliciting a blush from the girl.

Despite wearing her Shihakusho, the woman seemed to be able to know every time that Rukia had allowed her bladder to release; it was embarrassing as well as annoying, though she supposed it meant that she did not have to tell Retsu herself when she needed a change, as she never had to worry about waiting so long as to risk getting a rash.

"Can't it wait until we get home…?" Rukia muttered. She would rather stay in the damp padding for a bit longer than deal with yet another change in the cavernous training hall.

"Hmm, let me see." Retsu responded, quickly stripping the girl of her Shihakusho in one deft motion. Rukia was too shocked at the speed of her movement to reactively cover herself, her discolored padding sagging between her legs from its use. "Well, I suppose it can wait until we get home if you would truly rather wait."

Rukia smiled at that thought, glad to have finally won a battle, even if it was the most minor possible victory she could imagine. The reward was a diaper change being delayed for a half-hour or so; she would almost declare it a pyrrhic victory if it had not been the only glimmer of success that she had been able to eke out in several days.

"Let us head out, then." Unohana lifted the diaper bag onto her shoulders as she spoke, heading towards the entrance.

"H-hey, wait!" Rukia shouted after her, "I-I can't go out there in just my diaper, I need my clothes back!"

"Hmm, I thought you wanted to wait to get changed?" Retsu questioned, as if she was oblivious to the girl's qualms.

"I-I meant for my diaper, not my clothing!"

"Hmm, well, sorry, but that is not an option."

"Th-then I'll get changed now…" Rukia mumbled, watching her tiny victory shrink into nothingness before her eyes.

Upon her defeat, a smile spread across Retsu's face. "If you insist, dear."

The change was quick and without event, though Rukia grumbled about it the entire duration, up until her Shihakusho was put back into place. Now that Retsu's implicit demands had been met, the two were able to head back out back to the woman's home.

It was an uneventful trip back, few Shinigami out and about at that time of day. Of course she almost immediately put down for a nap when they returned, after a change of clothes to something a lot more childish. After her nap, it was time for dinner once more, which she was of course fed in a high chair, finding her face smeared across her face and bib as if she had tried to do anything but get the food in her mouth.

"You did good tonight, dear." Retsu began, wiping Rukia's face with the clean parts of the bib, "It's only the fourth of the month and I didn't expect you to get this far until at least another week."

"O-oh, thanks…" Rukia began, before her eyes suddenly lit up in revelation, "D-did you say it was the fourth!? That would make tomorrow Saturday the fifth!"

"Well, yes…" The woman responded, actually looking confused for once. "And?"

"On the first Saturday of every month, I have been meeting Orihime for a day in the human world." Rukia explained, looking stressed out at the sudden realization, "And…and we haven't missed a single Saturday since…since he lost his powers." She dared not be more specific; not to hide it from Retsu, who knew clearly who she was talking about, but to prevent herself from thinking about that horrible situation.

"I see, well, I'm sure she can survive if you miss one excursion together." Retsu answered, "This is a punishment for a reason."

"You don't understand! We promised that no matter what we were doing, we would make time for each other!" Rukia exclaimed, "You have to let me go or it will break Orihime's heart!"

Retsu sighed, but did not seem angry or annoyed. "Okay, I'll think about it during bath time and I'll give you my answer before bedtime."

Rukia nodded, glad to have at least gotten more than a stern "no" from the stubborn caretaker. Though, while she could have some hope, she did not really expect to get the go-ahead to spend the day with Orihime. As such, she began to think of possible excuses she could give Orihime that would both absolve her of blame and not make her friend upset.

Both of the two seemed to be deep in thought during their bath together, though Retsu was as collected as ever despite her ponderings. With bath over, Rukia was carried back into her nursery and placed on the changing table, anticipating being put back into a diaper and, somehow more importantly, given an answer to the dire question.

"I've thought about it and, well, I've decided to let you go." Retsu began, spreading baby powder across the young woman's nude form, "It is important to you and her, and there is no reason to punish the poor girl for your mistakes. Besides, you have advanced further in your training than I expected, so I suppose a day off is not unwarranted."

Rukia was shocked, flabbergasted and any other word she could think of to adequately portray her sheer bewilderment that Retsu had actually relented to her request. She had expected that she would have to wait until Retsu let her contact Orihime days from now and reassure the poor girl who was upset over feeling betrayed.

"There are, however, conditions." Unohana continued, pulling another thick diaper out from under the table. "You will still be wearing and using diapers under whatever clothes you desire to wear tomorrow. Just because I am giving you a day off from your training, does not mean that I am absolving you from punishment for any length of time."

"B-but…I-I…" Rukia muttered, her chest tightening as she thought of the prospect. "You can't expect me to use these with Orihime around! I don't even how to change my own diapers!"

"I do indeed expect you to use your diapers, that is part of the punishment and you have no say in the matter." The woman rebuked, "If you wish to go on your little day out together, you will obey my conditions. As for changing, I will show you how to change yourself tomorrow morning when you wake up. I do not see why you are worried, dear, I am letting you choose the rest of your clothes, so it is not like Miss Inoue will know you are diapered."

"That's not much of a reassurance…" Rukia answered, as it was not exactly the same as just wearing a different kind of underwear. There was the bulk and the sound to worry about, not to mention the fact that she would have to actually use them and change herself.

"So would you still like to go?" Retsu queried, taping the diaper up snugly, "If you are afraid you will be unable to change your own protection, then I would be more than happy to chaperone you two and do it for you."

"I-I'll go…and that won't be necessary!" Rukia responded quickly, the thought of having to explain a babysitter to Orihime just making her shiver.

"Okay then, I will wake you up tomorrow for a quick diaper-changing lesson and then we will get you all ready for a playdate with Miss Inoue. Have a good night, sweetie." Retsu helped Rukia into her bunny-hooded onesie and set her in the crib, leaving a customary bottle of apple juice right next to her pillow. Even as the light shut off, Rukia found herself fearing for tomorrow, not for the fun day she was looking forward to having with her friend, but for the potential for disaster and embarrassment, which for once would not actively be Unohana's fault. Whether it was the fatigue of a long day of training or just the anxiety of what tomorrow might bring, Rukia soon drifted off to sleep, the bottle remaining untouched as her thumb found its way into her mouth instead.


	8. Chapter 8

The sun was shining brightly in Karakura Town this warm morning, casting rays bright enough to make it almost appear as midday. Yet, despite this beautiful aesthetic, Rukia could not help but feel trepidation. The light blue skirt she was wearing was pleated and reached down to her knees, yet she could not help but feel her diaper was on display to every pedestrian she passed by. Even all the work she put into convincing Unohana to at least let her wear the slightly thinner, plainly designed diapers did not ease her mind all that much. Of course, she would have had to waddle all day had she been wearing the more infantile padding that Unohana was so fond of, but that did little to soothe her nerves as there was still a bit of a gait to her walk. It did not help that she was forced to carry a bag of changing supplies with her. It was larger than any purse she could imagine, so while random passersby might not pay it any mind, Orihime was sure to question it.

"Hello, Rukia!" As if on cue, Rukia heard the distinctive yell of Orihime from somewhere in the distance.

Looking around, she saw her friend a few hundred feet away, waving her arm to get Rukia's attention. She gave a smile and a short wave back as she headed towards her location. Her orange-brown hair was as long and free-flowing as ever, with only her special hairclips to even attempt holding her locks in place. Yet her hair was as immaculate as ever, despite that. Her outfit consisted of light-green capri pants and a white blouse with trim of a matching color to her pants.

"Hi, Rukia, what's new?" Orihime asked, as chipper as ever.

"Oh, umm, you know, not much…" Rukia lied. If the brunette picked up on her lie, then she stayed quiet about it.

"New purse? It's huge!" She giggled as she made mention of the diaper bag. "Especially on someone that's not that tall…not that I'm calling you short, just umm…hehe…" She clearly had no actual end to that sentence, as her stammering indicated.

"Heh, yeah…I liked the design." Rukia lied again, afraid Orihime was going to pick up on it. 

"Hehe, you're lucky you have me around or else you'd have no idea how to accessorize properly! Now let's go, we only have all day!" Orihime excitedly shouted.

"Umm, I don't think that's how the expression goe-ack!" She was interrupted by the sudden tugging of her wrist as Orihime pulled her in the direction of the mall.

The mall was just a few minutes away walking distance, but Orihime seemed eager to reduce that as much as possible, dragging the padded girl behind her at a brisk pace. It would have been hard enough to keep up anyway, but the gait in her walk and large diaper bag made it even more of a challenge.

Before Orihime managed to tug her arm out of its socket, they arrived at the shopping center, a steady stream of pedestrians of all ages fluttering in and out. All the people were causing Rukia to tense up, imagining each and every one of them staring at her as if Unohana had dressed her in a onesie and a thick diaper. It was just paranoia, of course, but it was hard to shake that feeling, even so.

"Hmm, wanna go get some lunch first?" Orihime asked, looking longingly at the many food stands near the entrance.

"…Orihime, it's barely passed ten o'clock." Rukia shook her head a bit as she looked down at her watch.

"I know, but it all smells so gooooooooood!" She half-whined, half-pleaded.

"It'll still smell just as good later when it's actually time to eat."

"Yeah, I guess…" Orihime muttered, clearly disappointed but still knowing it was the truth.

As they headed away from the food and towards the other shops, Orihime just kept turning to look over at the stands, as if they would vanish if she did not. Eventually, they turned a corner and left sight of them entirely, allowing Orihime to look where she was walking once again. It did not take long for her to forget about her ever-present hunger, staring in wonder at the displays in the various clothing stores.

"Ooh, let's go here! This place looks great!" She exclaimed, hustling inside without waiting for an answer.

Rukia shrugged and followed her friend inside, glancing around the near entrance of the store. It was about what one would expect from looking at the clothes on display in the window; fancy, but not to the point of pretentiousness. Whether their prices matched that aesthetic or went higher, that was another matter entirely.

Orihime, however, was nowhere in sight, presumably having found something she really wanted to look at inside. While the shorter woman looked for her missing friend, she also glanced at some of the products, finding them to be nice, but not necessarily cute enough for her. For some reason unbeknownst to her, the idea of cuteness was on her fashion mind at the moment, but it did not bother her all that much. Eventually, through a few minutes of searching, Rukia found her friend looking through a rack of blouses in her size, holding onto a couple that she presumably was especially fond of.

"Ah, there you are." Rukia said as Orihime looked towards her, "I take it you found some things you liked?"

"Mhm! What do you think?" She asked as she held them up for Rukia to see.

"Not bad, I like them."

Orihime responded with a pleasant smile and continued searching through the racks of clothes. It was not long before she had her hands full with hangers upon hangers of shirts and skirts and blouses and pants and various other clothing items.

"Hehe, well I've got what I'm going to try on! What about you?" The buxom woman asked as she peeked out from behind her pile of clothing.

"Oh, well, this section doesn't exactly cater to my body type…" Rukia mumbled, embarrassed that she even had to say that.

"Oh, umm, right! Well, I guess our destination is the children's department!"

Rukia's blood ran cold as Orihime spoke, nearly beginning to shake. It was clearly a joke, that much was obvious even to the overly paranoid mind of Rukia. Orihime giggled after she said it, clearly letting Rukia know that she was teasing her because of her short stature. It was not the first and would not be the last, yet the idea of the children's section sent images to her mind of Orihime and Unohana together picking out onesies and other baby clothes for her. The worst part about it was that she was not one hundred percent sure that she would not fit into clothing in the kid's department.

"Haha, very funny…" Rukia tried to speak as sarcastically as possible, to not make Orihime think her silly joke was anything more than that.

"Hehe, well I think your size is over here so let's get searching!" She exclaimed, still finding her joke to be funny.

It seemed to take a while, but she eventually managed to find a smattering of outfits that she liked enough to hold on to, simple outfits that were relatively cute and plain. Nothing fancy or extravagant, but she liked them all the same.

"Umm, I think the fitting rooms are back there, so let's go!" Orihime did her best to point behind the pile of clothes she was holding and headed in that direction.

Rukia felt a shiver go down her spine and hesitantly followed after her. While it seemed obvious in hindsight, it had not dawned on her that they would be trying on the clothes before they bought them. Logic reasoned that there would not be much of an issue as they would be in separate booths and all, but this type of fear of embarrassment was not exactly prone to being soothed by sense. 

"Come on, slowpoke!" Orihime exclaimed at her lagging friend.

"Oh, um, right! Sorry!" Rukia caught back up to her and let her worries hang over her as the fitting rooms loomed in the distance, growing ever closer.

As they approached, Rukia could feel her toes clench in her shoes, biting her lip from all the wild and nearly impossible situations that could lead to utter humiliation. However, an unexpected sight greeted the two girls as they turned the corner in to the row of booths; all the compartments were occupied except for the one on the end.

"Well that's no good!" Orihime exclaimed, "Hmm, I guess we can just use the same room. We've changed in front of each other before."

That was the last thing she wanted to hear; while it was true that they had changed together on occasion, it was quite a bit different when she had to worry about the crinkling prison she wore around her waist. That was not something she was willing to expose to Orihime, so that option was entirely out.

"Oh, umm…why don't we just, uh…" Rukia tried to think up an excuse, but was interrupted by the one stroke of luck she had come across since being put on punishment.

One of the doors of an occupied booth opened up, a middle-aged woman ushering a young child out. She was carrying a few outfits and gave the two girls a polite smile as she passed them by. The two booths were immediately next to each other, so it was still not ideal, but after the situation she narrowly avoided, she was not going to complain.

"Oh, well, that works, too!" The brunette nodded as she headed for the left compartment, closing the door behind her.

With a small sigh of relief, Rukia entered the other stall and closed her own door. As to be expected of a fitting room, it was a small booth with a mirror, a bench, and some hooks, enough room to move around a bit but not much more than that.

Every movement the Shinigami made was calculated and slow, afraid that the confined space would allow any rustling to echo and reverberate. It took time, but eventually she managed to get her shirt and skirt off, carefully placing them on the bench. With slow, deliberate motions, Rukia held up the first outfit to try on, a yellow dress and orange shorts that she had quite liked. The top was easy enough to get on, but the shorts were a bit more difficult due to the way she had to move her legs. It would be easy if she did not care about the sounds that would result from normal motion, but with Orihime just in the next booth, she had to stay slow as she slid the shorts up her legs. All it took was the one mistake of her hand moving too close to the thick padding to send her nerves into a frenzy. It was just the slightest of crinkling, probably only noticeable due to how nervous she already was about the whole situation. To alleviate her fears, there was no apparent reaction by Orihime or any questioning of any sort. She gave a quiet sigh and began looking at her outfit in the mirror.

She was not sure how long they had been trying on clothes, but it felt like awhile. Despite that, she had only tried on three of the four outfits that she brought in with her. However, Orihime had grabbed such a large pile that she was sure that there would be no issue with her slow pace.

"You're not done yet? I had a million more clothes than you and I already tried them all on!" Orihime suddenly shouted from her own booth.

That idea had gone out the window, but she was just about to try on the last set of attire so she was not too worried. She looked over her last outfit, a light purple dress that was a bit on the shorter side, but she figured she could wear shorts with it if it really became a problem. She held it up against her mostly unclothed body to once again check the sizing, when she once again heard Orihime commenting from the other booth.

"No, really, what's taking you so long?" Orihime asked, popping her head above the wall that separated the booths. She must have been standing on the bench to accomplish such a feat, as the walls were taller than her and certainly taller than Rukia.

"Eep!" Rukia was thankfully still holding the dress over her own body, so Orihime most likely did not get a glimpse of anything, but that did not stop Rukia from nearly wetting herself from the fright alone. "Orihime! That's lewd!" It was the only thing Rukia could think to yell at her without coming off as suspicious.

"Hehe, sorry! Just wanted to see what was taking so long." Orihime innocently said as she giggled. "And that would look cute on you if you'd actually try it on." With that comment, the brunette slunk back down into her own compartment, still giggling at making her friend jump like that.

The next few hours consisted of Orihime dragging the girl through several different clothing stores, coming out of each one with more bags than they had going in. Rukia had no issue with browsing through the various selections, but she also knew that every trip to a fitting room was another opportunity for disaster. Thankfully for her, she was fortunate enough to not have anything significant happen.

"Hey, Orihime, why don’t we grab some lunch now?" Rukia suggested, hoping to not push her luck with more clothes shopping.

"Oooh, yeah, I'm hungry!" Came the response, as enthusiastically as could be expected.

Heading towards the food court, Rukia began to feel that inevitable pressure of her bladder. Part of her thought about just disobeying Unohana and retreating to the restroom to do her business properly, but another part of her somehow knew that the Captain would be able to discern the truth if she did so. How, she had no idea, but Unohana had her methods and she was afraid to challenge them. Each step she took just made her more aware of her bladder, pushing more and more. It was surprisingly sudden; just minutes ago she did not have to go at all and yet now the pressure had built to the point of nearly being desperate. 

Biting her lip was all Rukia could do as she walked with Orihime, unsure just how much longer she could hold it in. Yet, she weathered on; if she was going to use her diaper, she was going to hold it in as long as possible, just for the sake of her own dignity and muscle control.

"Mmm, I can smell it already!" Orihime drifted further towards the eateries just as she sweet mixed aroma of various foods became noticeable once more.

"Hey, hold up!" With her multiple bags of clothes and a slight gait, keeping up with her hungry friend was no easy task. How Orihime managed to move so easily with even more shopping bags was nothing but a testament to her hunger.

Rukia had to admit that she was hungry as well; all the walking, browsing and worrying about keeping her secret had ended up making her almost regret not taking up Unohana's offer of what was assuredly a highchair-bound breakfast before she left…almost. It certainly did not help that it was already a couple hours after lunchtime after their long spree of shopping.

"So what do you want to eat…and don't say everything." Rukia asked, unsure if Orihime was even paying attention anymore.

"Aww, I don't know, it all smells so good!" The girl exclaimed as the sights of the food court came into view.

Rukia sighed. "Well you've got to choose something."

However, after what seemed like hours to the Shinigami's straining bladder, she was at her limit. She could probably hold it in longer if she was able to bend and clutch the front of her diaper, but that was attention she did not need brought upon her. As such, Rukia bit her lip and began releasing into her waiting padding, trying not to give a hearty sigh of relief. It was strange; she had grown use to the feeling, as much as she had not wanted to, but here in public surrounded by numerous pedestrians and one very good oblivious friend, it was an entire new ballgame. Yet, despite her unwarranted fears, Orihime showed know signs of being any the wiser that her petite friend was currently using her underwear as a toilet.

"Actually, umm, why don't I give you some time to decide and head for the restroom?" Rukia tried to hide the blush on her face as she spoke, afraid that Orihime would begin to wonder why she was so embarrassed about a mundane activity.

"That's a good idea, but I have to go too, so I'll join you!" Orihime cheerfully replied, eliciting a nervous laugh from Rukia.

"Umm, yeah, sure, that's sounds great…"

Since the restrooms were right down the hall from the food court, the walk was not too long. The entire way, Rukia simultaneously cursed the gods of fortune that were clearly spiting her and wondering whether the wet padding was causing her to walk differently. If it was, Orihime did not seem to notice, so she was not too worried. All her worry was reserved for having to change herself in the restroom while Orihime was in there as well. It would have been an issue anyway, unless she got lucky enough to be the only woman in the restroom, but with her friend there, the issues multiplied exponentially.

The bathroom was decently busy, seven of the nine stalls were in use as they entered, leaving the two next to each other on the end. Rukia cursed under her breath at yet another stroke of bad luck, but made sure not to show any signs of duress on her face. Since Orihime took the inner of two stalls, Rukia had no choice but to take the one on the very end, which ended up being the wider of the two for handicapped customers.

Her breathing grew deep as her nerves began to fail her, the moment of truth was her and she had no idea what to do. The change itself would not be too bad, but doing it discreetly was another thing entirely. While she might not get looks from any one else in the bathroom, they would assume the sounds were from changing a baby so long as they did not get a chance to see her leave her stall alone, but Orihime was sure to notice the sounds coming from her right and the only stall on the side was Rukia's.

That was when the raven-haired girl heard an odd sound that reminded her somewhat of the crinkling of her protective garments, which came as a surprise. Afraid that a few diapers had somehow fallen out of her bag, she looked around for any potential source and noticed something that made her smile, a canister holding thin plastic sheets to be used as a seat protector. Someone was apparently using one, which explained where that sound had come from. It was the perfect excuse she could give Orihime if she questioned the sounds that came with the diaper change, so long as she did not go overboard with them.

While it was still not an ideal situation, it was as if some of the weight was lifted off her shoulder from such a simple, obvious realization. She carefully unzipped the main compartment of her diaper bag and removed one garment, the packet of wipes and the travel size canister of baby powder. She carefully and quietly closed the toilet lid and sat down, the very slight crinkling nearly indistinguishable from the sound the covers made.

She placed her bags gently on the tiled floor and slid her skirt down to the ankles, giving the impression that she was using the restroom the same as anyone else. Slowly and carefully she undid each tab on the padding and let the front fall forward. This was where it got a bit interesting; Unohana had spent some time in the morning instructing her on how to change herself, but she had not been paying full attention. As well, it was much different in practice considering the circumstances around her.

She let out a sigh and pulled a wipe out of the package, beginning to clean herself up. It was…strange to do so herself after having the task done for her numerous times before. Still though, it was less and more embarrassing at the same time, but also allowing her to be in control of the situation for the first time. Acknowledging how pathetic it was to take pride in having control over wiping up her own bodily fluid, she crumpled the wipes up and placed them in front of her on the used garment.

The powder was a bit more of an issue, as one error would make it obvious via scent that there was baby powder in her stall. Knowing that she could not dawdle any more, Rukia carefully sprinkled the powder upon her nude form and spread it around carefully. The aroma was immediately obvious, but she hoped that was only true for her own stall and not any of the other ones.

Carefully, Rukia sat up from the unfolded padding and slid it out from under her. She balled it up slowly and carefully, unable to get it crushed into too small a ball as that would make significant noise, and placed it on the side. She realized that there was no place to put it in the stall, as the only trash can was near the sinks, but knew she could not worry about that now. Unfolding the new diaper, she slowly sat her behind on it and pulled the front up and into place. Each tape was sealed slowly but snugly, finishing the task. It was not a perfect change, certainly, but it was good enough to not need to be fixed, so Rukia was happy for what been a successful first change.

The only issue was used diaper that was sitting next to her all balled up; she could not just leave it there, but she also could not just walk out carrying it for the trash, or all her effort at being discreet would be out the window. She sighed and pulled her skirt back up, flushing the toilet to give the impression that she had done her business the same as everyone else. Packing her supplies back into her diaper bag, she glanced at the used garment in her hand and then slid it into one of the compartments of her diaper bag. She scooped the other bags onto her arms once more and opened the stall door.

"Ahh, there you are." Orihime confirmed, as if she had no idea.

The brunette had gotten out of her stall earlier, to the point where she was already drying her hands with paper towels as Rukia stepped towards the sink. While the numerous bags made it difficult, Rukia managed to wash her hands and clean them with some soap. She grabbed some paper towels and began to dry them off slowly, waiting for the perfect opportunity. It came just moments later as Orihime was attending to her own bags after tossing out her paper towels, the brunette turned away just long enough for Orihime to quickly pull the balled-up garment out of her bag and drop it in the trash with her own towels.

"You ready?" Rukia asked of Orihime, just glad she had gotten through that ordeal without incident.

"Mhm, off to get food!" The girl exclaimed.

As they walked back towards the eateries, the various foods hit their olfactory sense once more, making them both realize their own hunger. It was a few hours after normal lunch time and all the energy they had spent walking around meant that they needed to recharge.

"Have you made up your mind yet?" Rukia asked, pretty sure she already knew the answer.

Orihime only responded by glancing back and forth between her various options, as if she had to decide which child to let die. Eventually, after multiple minutes of nearly drooling in the entrances of each bistro, she decided on one and ordered her meal. Not wanting to waste anymore time, Rukia decided to order from the same place as Orihime, a light meal, but enough to tide her hunger until later.

Since it was a nice day, the two decided to take a seat at one of the many tables just outside the mall's entrance. Sitting down on the bench was a quick motion, but one that felt great after walking around all day. She had been unable to relish in it a few minutes ago when she was sitting down to perform her change, but now that she was relaxing to eat, she was able to.

"Something wrong?" Rukia asked Orihime, seeing an inquisitive look on the woman's face.

"Oh, umm, no, just can't wait to chow down!" Orihime giggled a bit and sat down as well.

"Umm, all right…" Rukia muttered, confused at the whole exchange.

Surrounded by the chatter of others, the two ate their respective meals, discussing what had been going on in their own lives recently. Rukia lied, of course, as the truth was not something she planned on divulging…ever. As far as Orihime knew, her recent schedule just contained boring meetings and daily minutia.

However, as they were nearly done with her meal, Rukia suddenly felt a chill down her spine and knew the cause immediately. With no concern for secrecy, she stood up from her seat quickly and began looking around intently. Orihime looked up at Rukia confused, until her eyes went wide with late realization.

"How close do you think it-" Orihime's question was both interrupted and answered by a booming roar that reverberated through the outside area.

Yet, despite the volume, Rukia and Orihime were the only two that reacted, being the only two people around that were even able to hear it. What was noticed by everyone, however, was the large chunk of wall that was destroyed by the source of the guttural bellow. Only Orihime and Rukia could see the monstrous beast, but its damage could be felt and seen by anyone. Naturally, the common people began to flee from the destruction wrought by the snarling Hollow, not knowing what caused a chunk of the outside area to shatter as it did, but afraid that it was a gas leak or something that would lead to more damage.

"Orihime, make sure that everyone gets to safety, including…'me'." On the off-chance that someone was listening to the two of them, Rukia spoke in vague terms, knowing that Orihime would understand.

"…Be careful." The brunette responded, looking over towards the grotesque beast.

Rukia simply nodded, before both leaping up and slumping over. Her spiritual form left the gigai she had been inhabiting, wearing her Shinigami robes and, more importantly, her zanpakuto sheathed around her waist. Her now vacant gigai slumped over, caught by Orihime who had been anticipating it. She supported the false body with one hand on its back and one on its behind, preparing to shift it into a better position. However, she delayed that as curiosity and confusion overtook her, before the realization and surprise of what she was feeling dawned on her. A million questions ran through the brunette's mind, but she pushed them aside as there were more important things at stake at the moment. Hoisting the empty body into her arms, she headed for safety from the beast, trying to lead other people that were unsure where to go or too frightened to react properly.

Rukia had been too concerned with the appearance of the Hollow to even think about the possibilities of leaving her diaper-clad gigai with Orihime; she was merely focused on vanquishing the monster before it could cause more damage or worse, hurt someone. It was the first time she had ever performed in a real combat scenario while diapered, and while she thought she had grown mostly accustomed to the way her legs were spread by the garment, she found herself a bit off as she ran through the air.

The Hollow was dark gray in color, its body like a spider with scythe-like claws at the end of each of its eight limbs. Like all Hollows, it had a prominent skull-like mask, personalized red estigma above and below the hole for its eyes. As well, the mask ran behind its head and down its back as a sort of exospine, a single long spike protruding from each of the vertebrae.

Another roar echoed through the open air, the beast looking over to Rukia and recognizing that she was the priority. An orange-yellow liquid began oozing out of its mouth like fetid drool, causing the parts of the building it touched to melt away. Undeterred, Rukia sped through the air and unsheathed her zanpakuto. Deftly dodging an acidic projectile it shot towards her, slamming the sword into the beast's mask.

"What the-?" Rukia muttered to herself.

Her spiritual senses told her that this Hollow was a low rank, probably recently having mutated from a departed soul. As such, her zanpakuto should have sliced through it as if it was made of paper. Yet, here she was, pressing her sword against bone, having struck a perfect blow, but with no visible damage whatsoever.

Rukia no longer had a chance to wonder about the surprising sturdiness of this lowly Hollow, as she had to leap off of its face in order to avoid the scythe-like claw that slashed towards her. She reoriented herself during the process of her jump and decided to rethink her strategy. Thinking it would be best to limit its offensive options before another attempt, Rukia used a flash step to lunge towards the Hollow in an effort to slice at least one of its serrated limbs off. Her blade met the flesh of the monster, and yet, just as before, not a scratch was made. It was as if she was bludgeoning it with a bat, instead of slicing with a spiritual sword.

"Damn it, what's with this thing!?"

She had no time to try to understand why this Hollow seemed so strong compared to the strength of its spiritual pressure, as her proximity to it meant she was in range of its acidic slobber. She was able to retreat long before the drool was able to drip onto her, just enforcing her knowledge that this Hollow was weak, as slow as one would expect such a Hollow to be. Why, then, was it able to shrug her attacks off like she was a weakling?

"Hado Thirty-One: Shakkaho!"

Rukia decided on a different strategy, holding her hands up towards the Hollow as bright red energy began to coalesce. A moment later, a ball of the crimson force launched towards the beast and exploded in blistering flames before it even had the chance to mount a defense. When the smoke cleared, Rukia was surprised, but this time not due to any resilience from the monster, but just the opposite. It was lying in a bloody puddle upon the pavement, two of its limbs torn off by the blast, and its mask fractured in numerous spots. That was the type of effect she would have expected from an attack that strong upon a weak Hollow, but considering how it defended against her sword blows, she was expecting much less damage to have been done. In fact, she had used a non-incantation variety of that Hado, so it should have been weaker than normal. Yet she had nearly obliterated the Hollow from existence with that simple Kido spell. Thankfully, she had not, as she still had to purify the spirit with her zanpakuto's blade by breaking its mask, otherwise it would be lost forever.

Leaping above the shuffling near-corpse of the dying Hollow, Rukia drew her blade once more and dropped, plunging her blade into one of the fractures caused by her Kido. Yet, it still was not enough; it was as if she was poking it with a dulled toothpick. With anger and resolve usually reserved for a much stronger Hollow, Rukia began to use her blade as a lever, hearing the sounds of cracking begin. It no longer mattered how strong the mask was, whether she was using her honed sword or a two-by-four, it was just a matter of her makeshift lever being able to withstand the force exerted upon it.

Just moments later, her gambit paid off, the mask tearing into large pieces with a thunderous crack as if the land itself had been split. The beast, already on the verge of death, could only release a roar that splayed drops of acid around as it began to vanish. Rukia could only wince as a single drop managed to graze her cheek, but otherwise she was unharmed.

"Rukia, are you okay!?" Orihime shouted at the Shinigami from at least thirty yards away.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" She shouted back.

She stood back up onto her feet and began to walk over to where the girl was, sheathing her zanpakuto back into place. Orihime began to head towards Rukia as well, carrying the gigai in her arms, one arm under its back and other its knees. A smile crossed the brunette's face as she got close enough to Rukia to confirm with her own eyes that she was indeed alright.

Once in arm's range, the Shinigami reached out and allowed her form to be taken in once more by the false body. When her eyes opened once more, Rukia could see the smiling face of Orihime above her. She blushed upon realizing that the brunette was carrying her, not even thinking about that as the gigai was carried towards her.

"Umm, thanks, Orihime, but can you put me down now?" She asked, afraid this positioning would compromise her skirt.

"O-oh, right! Sorry." Orihime nervously giggled as she lowered the girl to her feet. "I'm glad you're okay, but let me heal that wound on your cheek real quick."

Using her extraordinary power, Orihime summoned her fairies to create their golden energy above the wound on Rukia's face. It was a small wound and not very deep, so the energy triangle was similarly small as it hovered over her face. Just a few moments of working and it was as if she had never been touched, a would-be scar nipped in the bud.

"Thanks for that, not even a bit of residual pain." Rukia commented as she rubbed the spot where the wound was.

"Hmm? Oh, um, right, y-you're welcome." Orihime responded after a second, clearly preoccupied.

"Something wrong?" The Shinigami questioned, looking inquisitively over at Orihime.

"O-oh, it's nothing!" The brunette giggled nervously as she assured her friend.

"Well, alright, if you say so…" Even as Rukia let the subject drop, she could not help but notice that it seemed like Orihime's eyes were scanning her up and down. "Anyway, we'd better go. The police will be here soon to check out the damage and we don't want to get roped in as subjects."

"Oh, right!" Orihime exclaimed, not even thinking about that eventuality, "Why don't we go to my house, then? It's not as exciting as the day out we had planned, but it's better than nothing."

"That's sounds great, let's go." Rukia scooped her shopping bags and diaper bag back onto her arms.

The trip back to her house was quiet, a bit quieter than Rukia perhaps expected, but still not enough to arouse much suspicion in the Shinigami. What did, however, make her curious, was why she kept catching Orihime stealing quick glances at her as they walked, her eyes only darting back forward upon seeing that Rukia was aware of her gazing.

"Are you sure everything's all right?" Rukia asked again, sure that something was up.

"Oh, um, yeah, just…thinking about something." Orihime murmured, using with the first idea that came to her.

"Something? Such as…"

"Umm, I'll let you know later when you're back at my place." She resolved to do so, but the public setting was not the best, especially since she did not know how Rukia would react to their discussion. Deciding that that was a good enough answer, the Shinigami dropped the subject and looked back forward.

After another few minutes, they finally arrived back at Orihime's home, as quaint as ever. The air seemed tense as they walked in, their silence no longer buffered by the various sounds of the outdoors and general public, now able to resonate in the deafening way that only silence could. Rukia was thankful that their clothing bags made enough rustling to hide any potential sounds of her own underwear rustling, though she was more preoccupied with wondering about what was on her friend's mind. Thankfully, she did not have long to wait, as it seemed like, despite her earlier reservations, Orihime was just busting at the seams to reveal her curiosity.

"So, umm, how long have you…worn diapers?" Her voice lowered as she spoke the last word, even though there was no one else that could overhear them.

The question was like ice water through the Shinigami's veins, her breathing growing heavy as her face reddened. She had no idea how Orihime had found out, but she was more concerned with what her reaction would be now that she had. She tried to open her mouth to speak, to ask anything to deflect the embarrassment she felt, but her mind was just unable to come up with anything amidst the haze of humiliation that clouded it.

"Are you okay, Rukia? You look…unwell…" Orihime assumed that the question was the cause of this reaction, and while she had expected a bit of a bad response from the girl, this was more than she expected.

"I-I…I…don't want to talk about it…" Rukia eventually managed to get out, an automatic defense mechanism to prevent further embarrassment.

"Well, if you say so, but…are you sure? I'm just concerned, you know."

Rukia took a deep breath and allowed herself to calm down, knowing that she needed to do so to regain control of the situation and any dignity she could hope to muster.

"I know, and thank you. It's just not as significant as you might think so it's better not to talk about it, that's all."

"Hmm, well if you say so~" Orihime responded, acting cheerful once more. "I'll go make us some tea."

Rukia smiled as it seemed to her that she had won out in the end, Orihime might have known about her padded underwear, but with any luck she would think of it as a one time anomaly and perhaps forget about it as the time passed. Even if that was a best case scenario, she could not imagine that things would go awful now that Orihime seemed to have accepted what she had discovered.

Not long after, Orihime returned with two lightly steaming cups of tea, placing them on the table. She sat down with a smile, and waited for the raven-haired woman to follow suit. Rukia sat in the chair directly opposite Orihime, grimacing as she heard a slight crinkle from her not slow enough descent. The brunette could not help but giggle at this, even though she had not meant to.

"…You know, I thought you were acting odd all day." Orihime began, not wanting Rukia to linger on her giggling, "When you sat down for lunch I thought I had heard an odd sound, and sure enough, when I had to catch your gigai, it all clicked…"

That answered the biggest question on Rukia's mind; she had not thought about the possibility of that happening when she went to confront the Hollow, it was just the natural instinct of a trained warrior. Now, why Orihime was explaining all this, she was not sure. Neither was the woman, herself, in fact; she just thought she needed to explain to Rukia how she learned of this oddity of hers.

"I see…" Was all the Shinigami could say in response, her voice curt as if to tell Orihime that she did not want to talk about it anymore.

Tea continued in near silence, neither girl able to think of what to say. Orihime seemed to be bustling in place with ideas and inquiries, curiosity overwhelming her. Eventually, it became too much for the young mortal and she knew that something had to be done. Thinking she was clever, the girl "accidentally" dropped a spoon on the floor and quickly bent down to pick it up. She managed to hold back her giggles as she peeked between the legs of her skirt-clad friend, ogling the garment between her legs.

"Wow, it looks even thicker than I expected…" Orihime accidently muttered.

Tea was nearly launched across the room, both from Rukia's lips and the cup on the table, as the embarrassed girl leapt up to her feet.

"Orihime!" Her face was bright red as she scolded her friend, tugging on her kneelength skirt even though the girl was no longer able to see what it was concealing.

"S-sorry, I just got curious…" Orihime admitted, "I only felt it through your clothes before so I was wondering what it actually looked like. It's not as…discreet looking as I assumed…"

"W-well, still! There's no excuse for that!" The Shinigami waited until Orihime was back in her seat to do the same, her face unable to lose the red blush that permeated every inch.

Orihime merely nodded in shame at being scolded like that; she knew what she did was wrong, but she could just not help herself. Her friend was immature in some ways, but she had never expected her to show up one day wearing a garment fit for a toddler. She wanted to respect Rukia's desire for privacy, but just the pure intrigue of the whole situation kept drawing her mind back to those ideas of drawing out more about the how and why of the strange outfit choice.

The next couple hours went by slow and nearly silent, every attempt at a conversation wound up stilted and without direction. Orihime was too busy wondering about her friend's new clothing, while Rukia was only able to focus on her own dignity in the face of exposure. The combination just led to them sitting quietly and sipping on progressively cooling tea. While Rukia briefly entertained the idea of leaving early to return to Unohana, she dismissed that after a few seconds of thought. Even if she had to deal with Orihime knowing this secret, she still had much more privileges here than she did back at Retsu's home. Besides, that would be utterly rude, and while Orihime's manners had been less than perfect today, she was still one of her best friends.

Unfortunately for the embarrassed Shinigami, nature began to make its call once again, the combination of tea and the drink at lunch refilling her bladder in a quick timetable. There was no point in holding it longer than necessary, just enough to keep her from releasing at the first moment, and it was enough to satisfy her. The problem then was what to do about it: if she excused herself to use the restroom, Orihime would probably assume that was a lie or at least question the act in relation to what she was wearing, but if she left it alone, it would grow uncomfortable and could even lead to a rash. She did not even want to consider about what Retsu would think about her getting a rash on the first day she was given the privilege to change herself. It would most certainly mark the end of being able to change herself, that was for sure.

With a sigh that she hid behind adjusting how she leaned in her chair, Rukia allowed her bladder to release in front of Orihime for the second time that day. The girl was none the wiser, thankfully, though Rukia was paranoid that that would not last. It did not take long for the warmth of her accident to give way to uncomfortable cooling, leaving her fidgeting every now and then. She bit her lip as she pondered which was the lesser of two evils, potential further embarrassment or the risk of a rash.

A fresh diaper would feel good at that moment, as much as she hated to admit or have to do it. Getting her bag without Orihime questioning it was going to be difficult if the girl did not automatically assume the worst, also known as the truth in this case, but that was one step further than she was at the moment, so it was not something she could afford to think about. 

"U-umm, I'll be right back, just have to use the bathroom." Rukia muttered, standing up.

"Hmm?" Orihime looked over at Rukia inquisitively, making the woman feel that the worst case scenario was about to occur.

"It's just as I said…" The Shinigami responded quickly, moving to go grab her bag before Orihime had a chance to question.

What she did not expect, however, was her friend to use her position to slide her hand up Rukia's skirt and slip a finger into the leg guard of her diaper.

"Oh my god, you really did wet yourself!" Orihime exclaimed, giggling from surprise, "I was just going to joke about it since you were going to the bathroom, but you really did it!"

Rukia froze in place, the synapses in her brain firing on all cylinders and out of control. This was so far beyond what she expected of Orihime, far beyond the boundaries of how any friend should be treating another, a complete invasion of privacy that far surpassed even the most humiliating situations Rukia had conjured after the brunette had asked her that shocking question. Fear, anger, hurt and frustration overtook any logical reasoning in her mind, leading to an action she did not think herself capable of until it occurred, she drew her hand back and slapped her so-called friend across the face.

Orihime gripped her cheek and stared in shock at Rukia, recognizing just how wrong her actions had been. If anything, she felt that she should have been slapped even harder for the breach of trust she had inflicted upon what was supposed to be one of her best friends. Tears began to grow in the brunette's eyes as she watched Rukia tread heavily towards the door, grabbing the bag that she now assumed contained the extra supplies needed. The angered woman forsook all her clothing bags, merely leaving Orihime alone with a hearty slam of the door. Orihime wanted to run after her and apologize, but she did not think Rukia would listen, nor did she blame for that.

-~-

By the time that Rukia had gotten back into the Soul Society and to Unohana's home, her anger had shifted to melancholy. Her anger had been good at preventing her thoughts from lingering on the incident, but as that cooled down just slightly, her mind was able to worm in and make every second dedicated to trying to understand how Orihime could think it was okay to do such a thing.

Using the key that she had been given, Rukia unlocked the door and entered quietly. The Captain looked up from the book she was reading and smiled as she saw the girl enter the abode.

"Welcome back, dear. Did you have a good time with you friend?" She asked, closing the book and placing it on the table.

"Yeah, sure." She answered quickly and quietly, barely hiding the obvious non-answer that it was.

"I see…well, what did you do?" She raised her eyebrow as she asked, clearly recognizing that something was wrong.

"Shopping." The single one-word answer was another sign for the intelligent Captain to pick up on.

"Are you okay, honey?"

"I'm fine." Came the curt response, signaling anything but.

"…It is before your bedtime, but you missed your nap today so let me see if you need a change and then I think you should get a good night's sleep." Unohana stood from her chair and walked over towards the dejected girl.

Rukia merely nodded instead of arguing; she did not at all feel like arguing or pleading against Retsu's orders. She flinched a slight bit as Unohana checked her for wetness, the previous incident still fresh on her mind. The girl was scooped into the arms of Unohana and carried into the nursery, not even eliciting so much as a sigh. She was placed on the changing table and her skirt was removed, but Rukia just sat quietly and let Unohana work without comment, complaint or even countenance change.

"It looks like you did an adequate job changing yourself, dear. Good job." The woman hoped to get some comment from the girl, but she merely remained quiet.

All throughout the change, not even a single blush ran across Rukia's face. Not even when she was put back into one of the thick, infantile diapers did she react, just looking as crestfallen as she had since returning to Unohana's home. Her more mature clothes replaced with another onesie, she was lifted back into the woman's arms and held close, on the way to the crib.

It was surprising even to herself, but Rukia finally could not take it any more and used her positioning to grip onto her caretaker in a hug, burying her face into her chest and crying. Retsu stopped walking momentarily to rock the girl back and forth a few times, shushing her gently.

"Ssshh, it'll be okay. Mommy's here, dear." The Captain cooed.

It was the first time that she could remember the woman cooing without doing so to subject Rukia to more humiliation, it actually seemed like an actual attempt to console her. It was also the first time that the title of "Mommy" had come up in a context other than the woman insisting on the girl to call her that to further enforce her position of being a toddler. It worked surprisingly well, reducing the girl from sobs to sniffles. As she was pulled away from the woman's body and lowered into her crib, she grabbed onto Chappy, needing something to grip tightly in her current mood.

"Sleep well, honey. Things will be better tomorrow." The woman knew not what was troubling the girl, but she wanted to assure her anyway.

Rukia stayed silent and merely rolled over on to her side; the cathartic release in Unohana's arms did help, but that did not mean that she was alright. It had helped express some of the pain she was feeling, but nowhere near all of it. Perhaps it was because of her strong emotional state or because she missed her now routine naptime, but Rukia found herself drifting off to sleep soon after, clutching Chappy close to her body and tearing up once more.


	9. Chapter 9

A black void and a figure in the distance was all that Rukia could see around her. She could not remember how she had gotten here or even where here was, nor could she see who the figure in the distance was. At this distance, the person was completely without distinguishing features, though that seemed almost unnaturally so, as if it was being obscured from her by some method.

"Hello?" She called out to the figure, receiving no response or recognition of any kind.

She began to walk towards the individual, its form growing ever slightly larger as she got closer. However, as she approached, she felt off in a way she could not put into words. She was sure something was slightly different than it had been, but had no idea what. Still though, she continued on, determined to meet the only other person in this otherwise empty realm. The nagging feeling of something being wrong lingered with her, growing stronger as she made further progress.

After an amount of time that Rukia was unable to discern, curiosity got the best of her once more, stopping in place to probe what was nagging at her. By now, her whole body felt…off, almost foreign. She held her hands in front of her, looking for anything different. It took a few moments before she realized that she was looking at smaller hands; hands that were not hers, or more accurately, had not been hers for a long time.

In a panic, she began to look herself all over to confirm her fear; she had gotten younger. She could only estimate, but she put herself around the level of a seven year old, in terms of mortal aging. What was happening, she had no idea, but it seemed to have stalled as she was no longer heading in the direction of the mysterious figure.

Curious, she looked up at the figure she had been concerned with and her eyes grew wide. No longer obscured through mysterious means, she had a clear picture of the individual. It was nearly the mirror image of herself, but somewhat older, more so than even her normal self. She knew who it was immediately, scarcely able to believe it.

"Hisana…" She muttered, staring at the visage of the older sister she had previously only known from Byakuya's photographs.

She no longer cared about anything else other than her sister, turning towards her and approaching once more, this time in a full on sprint. The increased pace made her changes obvious now, it was almost like running down a flight of stairs the way her viewpoint kept getting lower. Even so, she was undeterred, even as her legs began growing slightly chubby and unsteady as she passed through her toddler years. What was once a sprint was now a determined waddle, changing to a determined crawl after a few more moments of regression.

Hisana was so close now, just a few feet away, but she could feel her muscles growing ever weaker. Soon she would be unable to even crawl, but if it meant meeting her older sister, it would be worth it. As if on cue, her arm gave out and she could only lay on her stomach and look up at Hisana, towering immediately in front of her. Rukia tried to speak to her, but only the babbling of an infant left her lips.

"I'm sorry, Rukia…" The older woman uttered, a sad smile on her face.

Without warning, a deafening tearing sound rumbled through the void. Along with it came a gulf between the two sisters, a wide white chasm torn into the abyssal darkness.

"Good-bye, Rukia…" Hinana spoke remorsefully, easy to hear despite the distance.

Rukia tried to yell out to her, but only managed to wail like the infant she currently was. The older woman gave a sad wave and then faded into the oblivion. The infant continued bawling, no longer sure whether she was merely trying to yell out or earnestly crying from the loss.

Another tearing sound met her ears, but this time it was much more clear and obvious, as opposed to the ethereal cacophony that had echoed through the emptiness. It was one of her diaper tapes being removed, as she assumed the previous sound had been, just filtered through her dreaming mind. It had meant that she had wet in her sleep again, a fact that came with great annoyance. It was bad enough to be forced to use her diapers, but having them be necessary, even just for sleeping, was another level of magnitude higher on the annoyance scale.

Not wanting to deal with Retsu's chiding during the change, Rukia kept her eyes closed and pretended to still be asleep. She would "wake up" shortly after the change was complete, which would give her a few minutes reprieve from Unohana's purposeful coddling. However, that only gave her time to ruminate on that all-too-real dream she had just experienced. Especially as another tape was ripped from the fabric of the padding, a reminder of the events of her dream.

It was a very vivid dream, too; instead of becoming blurry and hazy after awakening, as was common, she could still see Hisana's face exceptionally clearly, almost burned into her memory. Being forcibly separated and waking up to find it was just a dream was heart-wrenching, even with the context of what was happening to her in the dream.

The sound of the final tape being peeled off wrenched her from her focuses thoughts. She tried to remain as still as possible so that Unohana would think her still asleep, but could not help but fidget a little as the front of the garment was pulled back, cool air meeting her clammy skin. What she was not prepared for was the wipe that began to wipe her clean. Not that it was breach in the expected order of the task, but the hand that wielded it seemed unsteady and a bit awkward, much unlike the older woman. Had her little fidget caught Unohana off guard? That seemed unlikely, as the woman was usually so well composed and stoic, and a small involuntary movement should been nothing significant.

Curious, Rukia slowly opened her eyes to check if anything had happened and was met with a sight she was not prepared to see: Orihime was the one currently changing her diaper. A million emotions rushed though her mind; anxiety, embarrassment, anger and yet, hidden amongst them all was a tinge of relief that she could not explain.

"Eeek!" The girl shouted in surprise, causing Orihime to jump a bit.

"Wh-what are you doing!? Rukia yelled.

She held a hand over her nude womanhood and scooted her bare bottom off the padding and across the cushioned table, looking to keep as much distance as possible between her and the other girl without falling off.

"O-oh, well, um…" Orihime began, her face almost as red as Rukia's own.

"I invited her." The voice of Unohana was heard as the woman stepped into the room, adjusting her haori. "I have an emergency Captain's meeting to attend, so I needed to get you a babysitter."

Rukia could almost feel her jaw hit the floor, anger welling up inside her. She momentarily forgot, or perhaps, did not care that she was wearing nothing below the waist, and stood up on the changing table, giving her a height advantage that she was not used to. Her hands were clenched into fists, summoning the courage to stand up to Unohana.

"No! I will not be subjected to that by her!" She shouted, stomping her foot on the table's top repeatedly. She did not at all care how ridiculous the scene must have looked; she was angry and needed to stand up for herself.

"…Miss Inoue, please leave this to me. Why don't you go prepare some milk, she's a little cranky in the mornings before her bottle." Unohana suggested, her voice still calm.

"Y-yes, right away, ma'am!" Orihime quickly responded, almost looking scared of the woman.

The brunette rushed out of the room in the direction of the kitchen, leaving the older woman alone with the resolute Shinigami. Retsu stepped towards the changing table and silently pointed down at the top of it. Rukia, calming down now that Orihime was out of the room, slowly sat down and returned to her resting place upon the opened padding. Without a word, the Captain gently grabbed the girl's ankles in one hand and lifted her behind off the used diaper. However, instead of using that opportunity to replace the padding with a new one, Retsu instead used her free hand to land an open-palm strike against the girl's unsuspecting bottom, eliciting a yelp of both surprise and pain.

"Orihime will be your babysitter, this is non-negotiable." Unohana began, the clear anger in her voice scaring Rukia to silence. "I was being nice when I chose a good friend of yours instead of someone I feel would be more appropriate, such as Lieutenant Isane or her sister Kotetsu, so I expect you to behave while I am gone. If not, I will not hesitate to give you the rest of that spanking, and then some. When your diaper needs changing, she will do so, when it is time for lunch, she will feed you, when it is naptime, she will tuck you in, do I make myself clear?"

Rukia could only nod in response, all her resolve from mere moments ago fading into meekness as Retsu scolded her. Unohana nodded and proceeded to get the girl powdered and into a fresh diaper, with a yellow onesie over it. Retsu lifted the girl into her arms and carried her out of the nursery and towards the kitchen.

The young Shinigami felt her stomach tighten as she was led closer towards the kitchen, and thus towards the woman whose friendship she had recently been at odds with. It was bad enough that Orihime knew of her diapers, but to know and be a part of her prolonged infantile treatment was much more than she could stand at the moment. She had not even gotten the chance to come to terms with her emotions from yesterday's troubles and now she was having a significant amount more thrust on top of her.

"Here you are, Captain Unohana!" Orihime quickly shouted the moment Retsu entered the room, holding up a chilled bottle of milk.

"Thank you, Miss Inoue, it is much appreciated." The woman said as she walked over towards the living room.

Orihime followed along behind her, having not yet given the bottle to the woman. Rukia could not help but notice that the brunette kept glancing over towards her, but clearly trying not to appear to do so. She seemed well dressed for such a job, a nice white shirt with wide, flowing half sleeves, complimented by a pink skirt that flowed to her knee on the right side and near her ankle on the left. The Shinigami only kept a glare on her face as Orihime continued to glimpse towards her, only stopping when they reached the couch in the living room.

"Please sit down, Miss Inoue." Unohana requested.

"Oh, umm, okay!" Orihime obeyed the woman, quickly sitting herself down onto the plush cushioning. Retsu then deposited the girl she was holding onto Orihime's lap, surprising both the girls. Rukia realized what was happening already, even if Orihime had not yet, and was not very pleased about it. However, the slight stinging of her behind told her that it was risky and pointless to argue at this juncture.

"You may begin feeding her now, Miss Inoue. I must be heading off before I am late. I trust that you remember all that we have discussed, and I leave Rukia in your capable hands." Retsu began, slinging her sheathed sword around her waist. "As for you, Rukia, you know what will happen if you misbehave for Miss Inoue. I will see you later."

As Retsu headed for the door, she kept her eye on the two on the couch. Orihime, seemingly understanding why, quickly shoved the nipple of the bottle into her charge's mouth, nearly causing the Shinigami to jump in surprise. As much as she did not want to indulge this treatment from someone she could actually fight against, with Unohana still right there, it was no different than if the Captain was holding the bottle in her mouth, albeit perhaps a bit more uncomfortable due to the extenuating circumstances. Inwardly sighing, Rukia began to drink the cool liquid, though at a slower pace than even her normal reluctance.

Seemingly satisfied, Retsu headed out the door and gently closed it behind her. Waiting about a minute or so for the woman to make some good distance, the annoyed girl quickly pulled away from the bottle and glared at Orihime.

"I'm not thirsty…" Rukia muttered, glaring.

"…I suppose it can wait until after we get some food in your stomach." Orihime sighed.

"Great…" came the sarcastic reply.

"Come on, let's get you some food." Orihime repeated herself, almost as if she was stalling or hesitating.

With a bit of a slowed pace, Orihime stood up from the couch, holding Rukia against her body. She was a bit heavy for the young woman, but she managed to lug her all the same. She carried the annoyed girl into the kitchen and stood in front of the highchair. She glanced at a regular chair for a moment, as if deciding which to use, before recognizing that she should follow the rules that Unohana had set forth.

Rukia, determined to fight back as much as she could get away with without Unohana finding out, began struggling in her friend's grip. She had no real plan for what this would accomplish, but the act itself would at least let Orihime know what Rukia felt about all this.

"Ack! S-stop or I might drop you!" Orihime pleaded, struggling to hold up the thrashing Shinigami.

"I guess that'd make you a pretty terrible babysitter, wouldn't it?" Just as planned, the rhetorical question seemed to get to Orihime, a scowl spreading across her rosy cheeks.

"Then…urgh, I'll have to make sure that doesn't happen!" With one burst of effort, the buxom woman managed to get the fidgety girl into the highchair, quickly locking the tray down into place.

"Hmmph…" was all the girl could think to say as she stopped struggling, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She had already lost the first battle, and continuing to thrash in the highchair would do nothing but risk it tipping over with her inside.

"So, what do you want to eat?" Orihime asked, looking through the choices. Rukia stayed silent, intending to make this as difficult as she could for her so-called babysitter. "Umm, there's apple sauce, baby carrots, rice, and some other things…" Orihime continued, recognizing the silence. "…Fine, rice and carrots it is, then." She grabbed the items and sighed, annoyed at how stubborn she was being.

Rukia merely sat and watched her prepare the simple meal, glowering all the while. For the first time, she actually wished Unohana were here preparing her meal, annoyed that she was somehow the lesser of two perceived evils. After just a few minutes, Orihime had a small bowl of rice and a plate of baby carrots prepared, setting them down on the connected tray, along with a pair of plastic utensils.

"There you go, eat up." Orihime cooed with a sickeningly saccharine voice, even moreso than her usual tone.

With one quick glance at the intended meal, an idea came to her, one that put a none-too-nice smirk upon her face. It only took a simple, quick motion to knock the bowl of rice off the tray, the plastic bowl bouncing loudly across the tiled floor as rice splattered.

"Hehe, oops~" Rukia said with as little sincerity as was possible.

"Rukia…" Orihime muttered, her patience wearing thin. "…You know, as your babysitter, it's my responsibility to make sure you behave. I would hate to have to give a report of how bad you've been to your Mommy…" The emphasis of the last two words made Rukia cringe, though she could not tell if it was more due to referring to Unohana by that name or the result of the woman learning that she significantly misbehaved. The twinge of soreness in her behind was enough to keep her from arguing against Orihime, lest she decide to make good on that threat.

The brunette sighed and shook her head, but began the relatively simple task of cleaning up the spilled rice. "Now then, I suppose I'll have to feed you if you're incapable of doing so yourself without spilling everywhere, and I don't want to hear any arguments about this." Rukia could only continue glowering, partly annoyed at herself for making things worse by her impulsive decision and partly annoyed at Orihime for continuing this charade.

"I don't feel like making some more rice, so you'll have apple sauce and carrots." The woman spoke, not caring to even look over to Rukia to see if she was okay with that decision.

As it was an even simpler meal to make, Orihime had a bowl of applesauce ready just a few minutes later. She placed the bowl on the tray, as if daring Rukia to knock this one over as well, while taking away the plastic chopsticks from her.

"Now then, open up!" Orihime cooed, taking a spoonful of applesauce and holding it up to Rukia's face.

Rukia, however, merely continued glaring at Orihime, her mouth remaining closed tightly. She did not care that her current actions made her look like a grumpy baby unwilling to eat; she was more than just grumpy, she was annoyed, angry and she was in no mood to indulge Orihime's babysitting gig, one of the things making her the most upset. While she could not misbehave to an extreme extent, she knew Orihime enough to know that she would not get her friend in trouble over being a minor annoyance, especially when she was pushing her in such a way. Even as the spoon was bumped against her pursed lips, splattering a bit of applesauce across her cheeks and chin. After a few more attempts, Orihime took the spoon away and placed it back in the bowl, sighing a bit.

"I guess you're not going to make this easy, huh?" Orihime shook her head and away from the highchair. She then produced the bib Rukia was glad to see missing until now and reached over to tie it around the girl's neck. If not for being stuck in the highchair, Rukia would certainly resist the unneeded garment, but in her position, she could do nothing but let it happen.

"There, now your outfit won't get messy." It was that same fake, sweet tone, meant to embarrass and annoy Rukia, and it was working. "Maybe if you were a less messy eater, you wouldn't have needed this, but oh well."

Once more, the babysitter began the task of trying to feed her grumpy charge, coming to the same results as last time. After more than enough attempts to make it clear that the Shinigami was not going to relent so easily, Orihime sighed and pulled the spoon away.

"Hmm, I wonder…" She began, seeming to speak loud enough to be heard, despite clearly speaking to herself, "Maybe you need to be changed, and that's why you're such a grumpyface." The only response she received was the reddening face of the irritated girl; even though Rukia knew that she had not relieved herself, it was still humiliating to have the topic brought up.

As if to annoy the girl further, quickly Orihime bent down out of eyesight below the tray of the chair. Rukia was confused for a moment before she heard the loud sound of one of the snaps on her onesie being undone, followed shortly by the other.

"Oh my, looks like you do need a change."

"What!? But-" Rukia's confusion and outrage was quickly cut off as Orihime deftly stuck a spoonful of applesauce into her mouth.

A simple trick; it made much more sense when she thought about it. While she could regrettably not deny that she was finding it easier and easier to release her bladder when it came time, not to mention her bedwetting incidents, she knew that there was no way she would have wet herself without even realizing that it had happened. With no other recourse, she swallowed the sweet pulp, afraid that spitting it out would be pushing her luck too far.

"Hehe, sorry, but it had to be done. Now let's see if you'll actually allow me to feed you, or if I'll have to find more methods to get you to open that mouth of yours." Orihime giggled as she scooped another spoonful of applesauce.

It took a moment of contemplating, but Rukia eventually relented and slowly opened her mouth. Her face, however, retained the scowl it had held basically all morning. She had no doubt that Orihime would make good on her plan to get her mouth open multiple separate times if she continued to be the epitome of reluctance.

Each mouthful of applesauce was slow and agonizing, though she knew that if she were to eat faster, it might come across as eagerness that she was not willing to show. After what seemed like an entire afternoon, Orihime was scraping the bottom of the bowl with the spoon, only able to get a partial spoonful from what was left. When that last little bit was swallowed, Orihime took the bib and attempted to wipe Rukia's face off with it, even though she had eaten quite cleanly. It was made more difficult by the girl's fidgeting and struggling to avoid the unnecessary routine, but she was eventually satisfied with the cleanliness of her charge's face.

With that behind her, Rukia could only wait for Orihime to let her out, which thankfully came just another moment later. Once that dreadful tray had been lifted aside, she leapt up onto her feet, glad for some freedom after what felt like so long.

"Hehe, you must really be eager for the rest of your bottle, huh?" Orihime giggled.

"…No." came the curt response, all relief from being released from the chair having shifted back towards annoyance.

"Sorry, but you know the rules Unohana laid out." The babysitter sighed, reaching for the bottle again.

Rukia merely grumbled in response, but knew that there was nothing she could do to get out of this that would not end with another spanking at the hands of Unohana. Sensing the girl's submission, Orihime sat down on the couch and patted her lap. With a sigh, Rukia trudged over and reluctantly sat down upon it.

"There we go~" The brunette cooed, placing the bottle between her charge's lips.

While she hated to admit it, the meal had left her thirsty, so it was a nice relief to get something to drink. She would never let Orihime know that it was anything but an annoyance, but still.

After a few more embarrassing minutes, Rukia felt nothing but air pass between the rubber nipple and separated herself from the bottle. She sat up and moved away from the warmth of Orihime's body, appearing cold and distant to the woman who was supposed to be her friend.

Orihime, not recognizing the effort the girl went through to distance herself, merely smiled and took the plastic container away, letting her friend stand up on her own two feet. Returning from the kitchen a moment later, Orihime gestured for the girl to follow her, a direction that was followed hesitantly. The trip was quick and ended at Unohana's study, a room lined with full bookshelves and not much else other than a few plush chairs and a small table. Usually, anyway; today, there had clearly been some alterations made. Across the floor were a bunch of toys and items that would keep a baby entertained for hours, and even more annoyingly, that corner of the room was separated from the rest of the study by way of a plastic and mesh fence no more than two feet high. It would serve little purpose in keeping the girl contained within, but she assumed that was not the point, it was merely to let her know her status in Unohana's home. As well, with Orihime right there watching and willing to report to Retsu, it might as well have been fifty feet high and made of titanium. The only solace she could take from this was that she saw Chappy sitting next to a pile of blocks inside the makeshift playpen.

"Come on, get in." Orihime ushered, giving the girl a quick pat on her padded behind.

This instinctively caused the Shinigami to jump up a bit, thinking of the warning spank that Unohana had administered to her mere hours ago. Grumbling, she stepped over the fence and waddled over to a position near the middle of the wannabe cage, reluctantly plopping onto her behind with an audible crinkle. Orihime just flashed that cute smile of hers and sat down in one of the chairs, placing a book that Rukia did not notice she had on the table next to her. 

"Play nice now, while I study, okay?" She cracked open the book and began to read.

The Shinigami looked at the toys scattered around the makeshift playpen: a pile of small, wooden blocks, a handful of increasingly larger plastic rings to be stacked on a pole, a few shaped blocks and a board with similar shaped openings cut out, and last but certainly not least, the only thing in there she was actually happy to see, her stuffed Chappy.

Grabbing the plush bunny and sitting it facing forward on her lap, Rukia looked over to Orihime and sighed. It seemed like a lifetime ago, or perhaps ahead, considering her current infantile status, that she was enrolled in the same class as her buxom friend. With her current outfit, she not even be qualified to be in a Kindergarten class, much less high school.

Trying to escape her idle thoughts, she looked over and began stacking a couple of blocks on top of each other. Almost immediately, an idea struck and she began stacking quicker and with purpose, an image in her head. She toiled for awhile, the pile of blocks not offering near enough to convey her true vision. As she approached the bottom of the pile, she began to recognize a familiar tugging in her bladder, but was glad to feel it as very light and not at all urgent. With all that been going on recently in that department, it was nice to know that she still had control to such an extent. While she knew this would only end in an unfortunate situation eventually, for now she could safely put it out of her mind while she focused on her block art.

Grabbing the last block in what was once a pile, she placed it at the top of her creation. In her mind, it looked just like Chappy, as good as it could look with the small amount to work with, but anyone else would probably argue that, though she did not care one bit. As she admired her handiwork, she felt an odd feeling, one of warmth and a bit of relief. Her eyes went wide as recognition hit: she was wetting herself. Too stunned to even attempt to stop the flow, she merely stared off into space as the accident happened. Just a few minutes ago, the need barely presented itself and now here she was helplessly voiding her clearly full bladder into the diaper.

Still in a state of shock, the Shinigami fell from her knees and onto her padded behind with a muted crinkle. It was a short fall, but it had been enough to knock her tower off balance and send it tumbling to the carpeted floor below. Hearing the sound of the blocks hitting against themselves and the floor, Orihime momentarily glanced up. She was about to return to her book when she noticed the thousand yard stare on the girl's face.

"Rukia, are you alright?" She asked, a bit concerned.

"O-oh yeah, I'm fine!" she responded, far too quickly and forcefully to alleviate her caretaker's curiosity.

Without a word, Orihime closed her book and walked over to the edge of the playpen. She stepped inside and over to where Rukia was sitting. Still silent, she reached down and unsnapped the girl's onesie, greeted by the sight of the discolored padding.

"Mmm, that's what I thought." Orihime mused, "It's about time for your nap anyway, so let's get you changed."

Had Rukia not been caught so off guard by her accident, she would have moved away when Orihime had approached, but it was too late for that now, only able to respond with a defiant shake of her head.

"Sorry, but it's in the rules Captain Unohana gave me." She responded, not sounding all that sorry.

Not bothering to resnap the girl's onesie closed, Orihime reached down and lifted her up into her arms. She was a bit heavy, but she managed to hold her tight while she headed for the door. Rukia, beginning to subside from her state of shock, did not make it easier on her babysitter, struggling in her arms to avoid her inescapable fate. She knew it was going to happen whether she wanted it to or not, but her pride was still enough, wounded as it was, to force her to try. Perhaps she would have had a better chance of success had she dropped Chappy out of her left hand, but that idea never crossed her mind for a moment.

Orihime said nothing, merely holding the girl to her body as tight as she could while stepping over the fence of the playpen and heading out of the study. The struggling girl did not make it easy, but Orihime managed to carry her back into the nursery, quickly depositing her on the changing table. She took a moment to catch her breath, but grabbed the supplies needed from the cabinet built into the table.

"If you even attempt to step off the table, I will tell Captain Unohana how much you have misbehaved today." Orihime did not even look up from the cabinet as she threatened.

Rukia, sitting up with one foot already dangling off the changing table, froze momentarily before clenching her fists and laying back down. As much as she did not want to be changed by Orihime, the best case scenario in avoiding it would be a skin-searing spanking from Retsu along with the possibility of her overall punishment being extended for even longer, though it already seemed like it had lasted forever.

She took a deep breath and clutched Chappy to her chest; she cared not for how childish it looked, as long as it helped her calm down. She kept her eyes closed as Orihime began, hoping the lack of visual would allow her to imagine being changed by Retsu, as was the unfortunate norm.

Yet, the differences were clear from the moment Orihime shifted the onesie out of the way; her hands were more delicate and less sure. She clearly knew how to change a diaper, but each action came with hesitation and uncertainty before it was completed. As she heard the tapes of her diaper being undone, Rukia began to bite the ear of Chappy inadvertently, her nerves at a high. It felt like an eternity, but eventually the cool air was given access to her damp flesh, simultaneously refreshing and mortifying.

With her eyes closed, she was not prepared for the moment the even cooler baby wipe contacted her flesh, eliciting a squeak of surprise, and even less expected, a small spurt of the last remnants of her once full bladder.

"Eek!" Orihime was just as unprepared, jumping back a bit to avoid the quick jet of fluid, "Well, I guess someone wasn't quite empty, huh?"

Rukia wanted to die, right there on that table, and Orihime's teasing only made it worse. She found herself unable to say anything in response, merely gripping Chappy closer to herself for comfort.

Thankfully, Orihime did not say anything else, merely continuing to wipe. While she tried not to notice it, so that she could keep the mental façade of Retsu performing the change, it was clear that Orihime's hand was unsteady as she wiped. Whether it was due to the fear of another spurt or just generally wiping the privates of one of her best friends, Rukia did not know, though she was strongly leaning towards the latter. They had never even gone to the hot springs together and yet here she was taking a baby wipe to her friend's bare womanhood.

Even when it came to powdering, her inexperience was clear. She sprinkled the powder haphazardly, just covering skin wherever she saw it. When Unohana spread the powder around, she seemed to know the most efficient route for best coverage, but Orihime was clearly just winging it. Even worse, in Rukia's mind, was that she did not seem to understand when enough was enough. Her hand rubbed and spread the powder along the Shinigami's intimate areas for much longer than was necessary, lingering in ways that were almost lewd. To avoid any shouting or other sounds from slipping through her lips, Rukia bit down harder on Chappy's ear.

After a bit of time and with more powder than would qualify as more than necessary, Orihime seemed to finally be satisfied with Rukia's protection from rashes, clapping her hands in the air to clear the rest of the sweet smelling powder from them. She unfolded the new diaper and slid it under the girl's behind, taping it up with much more confidence and speed than the rest of the change. It felt a slight bit loose, but Rukia was certainly was not going to extend the change any longer than necessary by telling her so.

"There you go, all clean. Now let's get you into your crib, okay?" Orihime asked, as if Rukia had any choice in the matter.

The onesie was resnapped and she was lifted off the lavender and blue table and into the matching crib, the side raised up and locked into place. Orihime smiled at the scowling girl as she tucked her under the snowflake sheets, even giving her a small kiss on the forehead. The Shinigami blushed at this and turned away, unable to look her in the eye.

"I'll be back in about an hour, so sleep tight." Orihime whispered, as if the girl was already drifting off to sleep.

She reached over and turned the mobile on, the snowflakes spinning slowly as a light lullaby played. It was the first time it had been turned on since Rukia had been reluctantly given this crib, as Retsu seemed to just include it for the visual of a crib. Giving the girl one last glance she left the room and turned the light off. Rukia would have protested about the mobile, but what was the point; outside of Chappy, it was the least objectionable thing about the day.

With a yawn, she pulled the stuffed bunny close to herself, cursing Retsu's strict scheduling that had now made her body expect to get a nap. Despite her attempts to stay awake, her body began to drift off on its own, soothed unconsciously by the mobile's twinkling lullaby, idly chewing on the rabbit's ear once again.

-~-

"I have called you all here today to discuss an incident that occurred two weeks ago." The elder man spoke, looking out amongst the twelve Captains assembled around him.

"Two weeks? If the incident was important enough to call us for this emergency meeting, why is it only happening now?" The shorter, female Captain known as Sui Feng questioned.

"Because of the nature of what occurred." Captain Kurotsuchi answered, disdain dripping with every word. His exceptionally long black fingernail pointed towards a computer screen he had brought with him, presumably with knowledge of the incident. It whirred to life and displayed a crude representation of the Soul Society and the surrounding area, a large orange circle covering part of the map. "On the day in question, my systems detected a massive spike in Reiatsu somewhere inside this area." He circled the orange area with his gnarled finger.

"That's a significant area, how come it wasn't able to pinpoint it more adequately?" The sickly, white-haired Captain, Juushiro Ukitake, questioned.

"Because it appeared only for a scant few seconds before vanishing into the aether from whence it appeared. Not even my finely tuned instruments could pinpoint it under those conditions." The scientist answered, looking none too happy for having to defend his creations.

"Eh? How can we be sure it wasn't just your little gadgets malfunctioning? That seems more likely than a massive source of Reiatsu just appearing and disappearing suddenly, ya know?" Shinji Hirako asked, as flippant as ever.

"You blithering clod! You dare question the integrity of my creations!? I'll have you on my dissection table before you can count to five with that empty skull of yours! For you to even suggest-"

"Enough!" The tall wolf-faced Captain bellowed, interrupting his colleagues, "We have no choice but to assume that the detection was real. To do otherwise and be caught off-guard would be folly."

"I agree." Unohana said, "However, I feel our best recourse is merely to increase the patrol numbers and be prepared for an attack at any time. Captain Kurotsuchi would of course begin work on something to help our endeavor of identifying the mysterious Reiatsu."

"Hmmph, I do not need to be told that." He responded, his tone lowering significantly as he spoke to Retsu, "I have already begun work on something that would find and analyze any trace elements of this Reiatsu."

"Well, good then. I suppose that wraps this meeting up, then, eh?" Captain Kyōraku insisted, looking out from under his large straw hat, "If so, I'm headed off to grab a drink."

"Do not be so hasty, Shunsui. There is still much to discuss about this incident." Unohana said.

Kyōraku sighed and shifted his hat back down to hide his eyes. "Far be it from me to stop you all from having a conversation. Old man Yama, I don't suppose you'll let me go while you all chat about this, eh?"

After a few moments of silence, in which the Captain Commander did not flinch or move so much as an inch, the laidback Captain sighed once more. "Yeah, about what I expected. Carry on, then, but try not to take all day, huh?"

-~-

"Good-bye, Rukia…"

The Shinigami awoke with a start, a repeat of the same dream from the morning having interrupted her nap. It took a few moments to get her bearings but the events of the day came back to her piece by piece, along with the remembrance of her unwanted babysitter. There was no clock in the room to check, but based on the similar level of light shining in through the window, Rukia imagined it could not have been more than an hour or so since she was put down for her nap.

"Oh good, you're up." The voice of Orihime drew the girl from her thoughts. "I was afraid I'd have to wake up since you're not supposed to nap the day away."

"Mhm…" Rukia returned with as little care as she could muster.

"…Alright, well why don't we get you out of that crib, huh?" The woman walked closer and lowered the side railing.

She reached down to lift Rukia up, but the girl used her newfound freedom to step out on her own. She stretched her legs a bit and stood tall, finding this small taste of independence to be about the only good thing about having Orihime as a babysitter. Unohana only afforded her this type of independence during her training, and she was usually too busy actually trying to practice to be able to relish the freedom. Of course, she was still standing in the nursery designed for her, wearing a diaper with a onesie over it and with a mouth that had the taste of cloth lingering, so she was not exactly pleased, but it was better than nothing.

"Okay, well, I still need to check to see if you're wet yet." Orihime said with a sigh, even though it had been such a short time since the previous change.

Rukia was too busy savoring her small bit of autonomy to notice as Orihime stepped directly behind her. "Yeah, well, there's no need, I'm d-" Her words were cutoff as she felt the unwanted, protruding fingers of Orihime for the second time in two days. And, just as before, her hand immediately swung towards the woman's face in an instinctive reaction. However, unlike before, she managed to stop her palm just inches in front of the woman's rosy cheek, her hand trembling as she balled it into a fist and brought it back towards herself.

"What in the hell is wrong with you!?" Rukia shouted as Orihime stood shocked.

"I-I just…" The woman mumbled, not sure herself how to answer that.

"After what happened yesterday, what in the hell would make you think it was a good idea to try it again!?" Rukia knew her anger was perhaps too much, but there was no simmering her down at the moment. "No no no, let me ask again, after what happened yesterday, what in the hell would make you think it was a good idea to accept a job babysitting that same friend for the sake of furthering her embarrassment?"

"I just…wanted to help you…" Her voice was barely above a mumble, only audible because Rukia was specifically listening for it.

"…And how does that work?" The annoyed Shinigami questioned, looking the woman in the eye.

"I-I-I wanted to be there for you…in what was clearly a time where you needed friends." She began, turning away, "Captain Unohana contacted me this morning and asked me to babysit, which was confusing at first. She didn't seem willing to fully explain the situation, but she said you were on punishment, so I figured you'd rather have me be your babysitter than someone else. And it would give me a chance to…"

"To what? Embarrass and humiliate me again?"

"No! It's not like that! I just wanted the chance to get to know you better!"

"Know me better? What else is there to know?" Rukia questioned, growing more confused by a second.

"I-I wanted to…get closer to you, in a way that wouldn't happen with our normal friendship…"

"…I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about." Anger had abated to confusion, trying to draw out some answers from her babysitter.

"Well, it's just that…I think I, umm…like you…" Orihime barely managed to get out.

"…Like me? Well, yeah, we're friends, so of…o-or do you mean…?"

"Y-yeah…like that…"

Their faces shared the same red hue, one trying to process all that she was learning, while the other was embarrassed for baring her secrets.

"I-I…that doesn't…explain yesterday, though. I mean, violating my privacy is not exactly a way to get on my good side…" Rukia eventually muttered after what seemed to both like an eternity.

"It's just…unexpected, you know? I was enjoying our time together like we always do, and then suddenly I find out you were wearing a diaper the whole time. I was just caught so off guard that I didn't know how to react. I thought we had grown so close in our time together, and then I find out you were hiding something about yourself from me. It felt like you were pushing me away and I barely noticed it. So instead of thinking or doing anything like that, I just acted on impulse in a way to get closer to you that involved the new side of yourself that had just been revealed."

"Uh-huh…" Rukia said, still trying to come to terms with this development.

"You just looked so cute then." Orihime continued, unable to look her friend in the eye. "Well, you always do, with your lithe yet attractive body. The only thing my body is good for is getting the attention of the more shallow guys…and Chizuru. But I didn't want their attention…I wanted yours."

"Don't say that, you're pretty. B-but anyway, what about you and Ichigo? It's not exactly a secret that you have a thing for him…" The Soul Reaper questioned.

"I did…well, I do. It's complicated!" The girl said, clearly trying to sort her thoughts. "I had feelings for him for a long time, you know, but then we started hanging out together more frequently and something started developing in me."

"I-I see, but…I don't know what to say."

"U-umm, well, let me just say that I'm sorry for everything. For what I subjected you to, for being your babysitter today, and for putting you on the spot while I foolishly bare my soul…"

"No, please, don't ever apologize for speaking how you truly feel. I'm the one who should apologize, for slapping you and…for being such a brat today." Rukia cleared her throat as she confessed to the last part.

"Hehe, yeah, you were a bit of a brat today." A smile finally broke upon the brunette's face as she giggled.

"Hey! I didn't say you could call me that!" She joked, sticking her tongue out.

"Well then, that was certainly enlightening…"

Both girls' eyes went wide as they turned to the entrance of the room. There in the doorframe was Unohana, a stern, none too pleased look on her face as she tapped her foot.


	10. Chapter 10

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

The sound of Unohana's foot firmly patting the floor was the only sound in the room at the moment, the two girls frightened to so much as move.

"Well then, I see that I was unaware of something quite important…" The woman finally spoke.

"Umm, I-I…" Orihime began, before Unohana raised her hand to tell her to be silent.

"Rukia, you first. Come here." Unohana instructed as she pointed at the ground directly in front of her. Rukia hesitated for a moment before she slowly made her way over to the woman.

"I told you to be good for the babysitter, and yet you acted like the petulant baby you keep insisting that you are not." Unohana bent down a bit to meet Rukia at eye level, before surprising her with a quick slap to her cushioned behind. It did not exactly feel great, but considering the thunderclaps she had been dealt recently, she certainly was not going to complain about it. "However, I understand why you would not want her to be your babysitter considering the circumstances, and am thus willing to be lenient towards your behavior. Now go stand in the corner while I speak to Orihime."

A slow nod was the only response that Unohana received; leniency was not something the girl expected from Retsu, especially not when she had disobeyed. She made sure not to waste this opportunity and headed for the corner, her behind barely even stinging from that softened blow.

"Now then, Orihime, come here." Her voice seemed more terrifying now, causing Orihime to be slow with her movements.

"I-I'm sorry…" she squeaked out, preemptively.

"Mmm, I'm sure you are." Unohana replied, clearly unimpressed, "Even so, what you did was completely unacceptable, and then to agree to babysit her after subjecting her to such an experience?"

"B-but, you came to me!" The girl pleaded her point, looking more nervous by the second.

"I asked you. It was your responsibility to say no because of the circumstances. I assumed you two merely had a simple quarrel and needed to make up, but what you did was a complete violation of her privacy and her trust in you." Unohana scolded.

"I-I know…" The girl quietly admitted, "But I just wanted to speak to her and try to apologize, and…"

"Even so, your actions cannot be forgiven so lightly." Unohana said.

"But we did make up, so it worked…" Orihime tried one last desperate gamble.

"Yes, and I am very proud of both of you; Rukia for being forgiving and you for admitting your feelings as such. However, I still cannot just let those actions go without punishment." Unohana looked around the room for a bit as she spoke.

"O-oh…" was all Orihime could say in response, resigning to the knowledge that she was not going to escape the fate she had been assigned.

Without another word, Retsu walked over to the chair in the room and sat down, signaling Orihime to follow. Not wanting to further anger the woman, she scooted over and stood next to the chair. Despite her placement in the corner, Rukia turned away in order to watch, growing curious and more worried about what was about to happen. With silence and a deft hand movement, Orihime's pink skirt was around her ankles, exposing her black panties. Both girls' faces went red, neither expecting what had just occurred. Rukia, however, had a better idea what was now imminent, wishing it were possible to warn or save her friend in a way that would not make her a substitute for what was coming. Orihime still had no idea how to process what had happened, not even thinking about pulling her pants back into place. With just a few moments to try and ruminate on what was happening, another deft swipe of the hands had the girl's bare behind on full display, her underwear joining her pants around her ankles.

"Eep! Wh-what!?" Orihime had no idea what was happening to her, expecting Unohana to merely lecture her for a good while, yet she was now naked from the waist down and too stunned and nervous to even attempt to cover herself.

Unohana gently guided the half-nude young woman over her lap, her pale rear up in the air. Seconds passed in silence as Orihime still could not figure out what was happening, despite how obvious Rukia felt it should have been. That stillness was immediately shattered as Retsu's palm struck the young woman's plump behind, a loud clap billowing through the room and mixing with the pained shouts of the brunette.

"I'm sorry I have to do this." Retsu calmly stated, raising her hand high once more.

Rukia could only look on as her friend endured an unpleasant punishment that she was all too familiar with. Perhaps Retsu had meant corner time as a bit of mercy, so that she would not have to see her friend be punished, but that did not seem to be working out all that well.

Each blow came with another exclamation from the sore girl, her pale behind becoming more and more red with each strike. Soon her individual shouts devolved into just a continuous sob, momentarily pitching louder and higher when a hit was landed.

Yet another thunderous clap echoed through the room, but this time, Unohana did not raise her hand up, merely giving the battered cheeks a few pats and rubs that would be comforting, albeit embarrassing, had they not been painfully sore.

"Ssshh…it's over now, you're all right…" The woman cooed in a hushed voice.

Orihime continued to sob, totally unprepared for what had just happened to her and in too much pain to care how she came across. After a few more moments of gentle shushing, Unohana slowly and carefully spun the girl around while standing up, now carrying her with the girl's back and knees in the crook of her elbows. Orihime said nothing as her position shifted, still sobbing, though not quite as vigorously as before. Rukia was not sure what was happening now, watching as Retsu began walking away from the chair. Through the motions of her stroll, the brunette's skirt and underwear managed to slip off her ankles, drifting to the floor. If either of the two of them noticed, they did not show it, though Orihime was certainly in no position to do so at the moment.

It took Rukia a moment to realize what Orihime was being taken to, her jaw agape as Retsu confirmed it by stopping in front of the changing table. The brunette whimpered as her sore behind was lowered onto the surface, seemingly unaware of where she was placed or the implications therein. However, she was smart enough not to so much as sit up, her sobbing further dissolving to a series of sniffles and deep breaths.

It took the feeling of a strange substance softly falling onto her skin for Orihime to finally sit up a bit and see what was happening. She was greeted with the site of a white powder being dusted upon her womanhood, afraid to ask why, but not needing to once the aroma hit her nose. It was not that long ago that she was tasked with spreading the same material upon her smaller friend's privates, and she was growing more afraid that it was for the same reason. So afraid, in fact, that she did not even react to Unohana's hand gently spreading the powder around her flesh. That is, until she lifted the girl's bum to spread the powder there, eliciting a few whines of pain as the tender cheeks were contacted.

"Sshhh, calm down…" Unohana attempted to assuage the girl.

Her whimpers lessened, but she was entirely not looking forward to what was coming. Yet, she could not deny she probably deserved it after the way she degraded her friend, even if not her intention. On the other hand, she had just received a harsh spanking, and in her mind, that should have at least made up for it. She hoped Rukia would have agreed if the Captain had accepted her input, but that did not appear to be the case. Even knowing that it was coming was no solace when she saw the folded up plastic held up by the woman, merely biting her lip and turning a deeper shade of red. The petite Shinigami could only look on in morbid fascination from her corner perch as the events unfolded, a part of her glad this was happening so that she would not be alone, but also feeling guilty for that sentiment.

Orihime grimaced as her behind was raised once more, hearing the crinkling plastic unfolded below her. As she was lowered back down, she could not help but notice that the padding was, to look for a silver lining, less irritable against her aching rear then the changing table alone had been. It was not the greatest of solace for what was happening, but it was still something. Still though, she closed her eyes and waited for the task to be done, not wanting to watch. Just a few moments later, Retsu had secured all four of the tapes and patted the front to signal that she was done. Rukia noticed it was one of the same ones that she was wearing, thick with a bunny pattern on it, a bit tight on the taller, shapelier frame of the brunette, but not to any significant degree.

It felt odd on Orihime, so used to regular underwear as Rukia had been up until a couple weeks ago. She was not sure how to proceed now, nearly letting a thanks slip out of her mouth towards Retsu. She was certainly not thankful for being stripped, spanked and diapered, but Unohana had technically done a task for her, so the response was almost instinctive and automatic from someone like Orihime, who always strove to be kind to others.

"I know you don't like it, but I am sure you will appreciate this punishment when it is all over." Retsu said, taking her by the shoulders and lifting her into a sitting position. Orihime greatly doubted that, but dared not verbalize those thoughts.

With a quick tug, Orihime's white half-sleeved shirt was pulled up and off her body, followed soon by her light blue paisley undershirt, leaving her only clad in a black bra above the waist. Her sense of modesty had been damaged by what had previously occurred, but she still blushed a bit at this less radical exposure. Retsu looked her over for a few moments, as if she was making some decision to herself. Apparently having made whatever choice it was, Retsu walked over to the closet and rummaged around, returning to the table with some type of pink folded fabric in her arms.

Before either girl had a chance to wonder what it was, Unohana had already begun slipping it around Orihime's head and into place. It was a simple shirt emblazoned with a little ducky, a shirt designed for a toddler but large enough to fit the brunette. Mostly, anyway, it was presumably bought with Rukia in mind, so it did not even reach Orihime's bellybutton, nor was it a good fit in the chest area, pushing the fabric a bit further than it was meant to go. Rukia could not help but feel a bit jealous, not because the girl's sizable chest was not a fit for a shirt designed for her own, but because it was the first outfit she had seen since her room's makeover that was not a onesie or other baby-exclusive article. Sure, it was clearly designed for young children in mind, what with its little ducky design, but it was not that far off from something Rukia would have casually worn back when she was able to make those decisions, especially if the duck was replaced with a rabbit of some sort.

Satisfied with the outfit she chose, Retsu picked the freshly padded girl up into her arms, careful to put as little pressure on her backside as possible. Despite this care and the cushioning the diaper offered, the girl did wince and whimper a slight bit.

"Now, I want you to think about this in the corner until I come back to get you." Unohana instructed, lowering the girl to her feet in front off the corner closest to the other diapered girl. "And Rukia…" The petite Shinigami immediately straightened up and turned to the corner she was supposed to have been staring at for the past while. "When I say corner time, I mean corner time. I want you to think about that until I return."

"Y-yes, ma'am." Rukia hurriedly responded, feeling she got off a lot easier than she had expected.

Staring directly at the wall seemed to exacerbate the silence of the room, only interrupted by the sound of the door being closed as Unohana left.

"Welcome to the club." Rukia finally spoke, shifting a bit in her position and crinkling slightly.

She could not see it from her position, but a small smile spread across Orihime's countenance. "Well, you've been a member for as long as I've known you, so I thought I'd see what all the fuss was about."

"Hey! I have not!" Rukia quietly responded to the gentle teasing.

"Hehe, could have fooled me~" Orihime giggled, "But really, do you want to explain what's going on here? Captain Unohana was very vague when she asked me to babysit."

"Oh, right, yeah…" The girl answered, taking a deep breath to work up the courage.

Orihime stayed silent the whole time as her friend explained the situation, her face growing more sullen as she learned. For Rukia, it felt nice to be able to explain this to someone else. Anyone else she would stay quiet around because it was so embarrassing, but since Orihime was already aware, and certainly in no position to judge her, she was able to confidently elaborate on the past couple weeks.

"I-I see, that's…" Orihime began, words failing her, "…wow…"

"What else could you have possibly thought when you were asked to babysit me and saw the room I was staying in?" Rukia questioned, "Especially since you already knew I was, err, diapered…"

"I, umm, honestly had no idea. I kinda thought that maybe you just liked it, you know?" Orihime shrugged, even though she knew that Rukia could not see it from their positions.

"…How could you think I liked wearing diapers and being treated like an overgrown toddler?"

"Err, I dunno…" Orihime said, "I mean, you've always liked cute things and your drawings aren't the most mature, so I thought it was just a natural continuation of those traits or something…"

"…Not quite…" Rukia muttered, a bit annoyed that anyone would think that she would choose to be babied like this, even if she did like cute things. Ironically, it was that moment that she realized that she was missing her stuffed friend more than usual, but Chappy was currently sitting in her crib and she was not about to disobey Unohana by going to get it, especially when that would only serve as evidence for Orihime's conjecture.

"Well, it might just be the way it's cushioning the pain on my butt, but these aren't that bad…" Orihime admitted, "I mean, I don't wanna wear them, but it's not the worst thing in the world."

"Just wait until you're forced to use them…" Rukia grumbled.

"Oh…right, I had forgotten about that little detail…" She mumbled in response, her cheeks turning a shade to match her lower cheeks.

"Yeah, well, you'll certainly want to forget it when it comes time…"

"Surely she won't make me…" The girl mumbled, beginning to grow nervous.

"Tch, who knows? There's no telling with her idea of a punishment, but I wouldn't be expecting to use the toilet if I were you." The Shinigami responded.

"I see…" Orihime quietly responded, suddenly finding the soft padding to not be worth the trouble.

With a silence shattering click, the door opened as Unohana walked back into the room.

"I suppose that's long enough." She began, looking over at both girls, "It's about time for dinner, anyway."

Even though the woman had proclaimed the end of their corner time, neither girl was willing to so much as turn around, in case they were supposed to wait to be told to step out of their respective spots.

"Come now, let's go." Unohana spoke once more, placing a hand on Rukia's shoulder.

Rukia nodded and stepped out of the corner, immediately scooped up into Retsu's arms and held against her hip. Orihime stepped out of the corner too, but despite seeing it just happen to Rukia, she was surprised as she was also lifted up and held against the Captain's opposite side, legs overlapping with her padded friend. Despite carrying two young women, Unohana seemed unfazed, as if their weight was nothing to her, stepping out of the nursery with the same graceful motions that she always presented. While this was all too familiar for Rukia by now, being carried as such was a very foreign feeling to Orihime, clinging to the woman tighter than need be. She carried the two girls to the kitchenette, gently placing them both down in normal chairs.

"Unfortunately, I did not foresee having to take care of a second baby, so I have just the one high chair available. You two tykes will have to take turns." Unohana said, in the same tone an adult would use to two oblivious babies.

She reached back over and swooped Orihime up into her arms, giving her a caring smile before plopping her down in the chair. The tray had to be slid around her sizable chest to lock it into place, a task Rukia was annoyed to note was never an issue with her. Once the tray was in place, she tied a purple bib around her neck and went over to the stove. As there was food already cooking, it seemed that she had spent their corner time starting dinner.

"Why don't you have your bottle now, while you're waiting for your turn." Retsu said, handing Rukia a bottle of chilled milk. The girl took the bottle, knowing it was not a suggestion, and began suckling on it while she waited.

It only took another minute or so for their food to finish cooking, the brunette fidgeting in her restrictive seat all the while. While Orihime was a bit reluctant to be fed at first, her sore behind told her no to resist her meal. Retsu, seemingly wanting to embarrass her, seemed to "miss" her mouth on purpose multiple times, bits of food falling on her bib and chin.

"Oh my, what a messy eater I have on my hands! And I thought Rukia was the only little piggy here." The woman cooed, eliciting a blush from both girls.

While Rukia watched her friend attempt to eat without making a mess, she idly suckled on the bottle. For some reason, she could swear she felt an odd feeling as she watched Orihime be coddled and fussed over, a feeling she was having a hard time putting to words. She shook these thoughts out of her mind and tried to focus on something, anything else. However, all there was was her bottle and her busty friend's feeding in the high chair. She found herself only able to watch the event unfold, rhythmically suckling the cool liquid as it passed through the rubber nipple. She had been in that chair countless times, yet she could not look away as someone else was subjected to the same cosseting she was so dismissive of. Frustration built up inside her, yet she could not explain why.

So absorbed was she that her thoughts took precedence over what she witnessed, determined to sort out her confusion. Momentarily, the word "envy" flittered through her mind, one of the uncountable words that sift through every person's brain on any given day, and yet she could not help but focus on it. It must have been her mind playing tricks on her, it was the only possibility she could imagine. Why else would she feel envy towards Orihime in this situation? It was similar to the sensation when one desperately does not want to think of something, and as a result it was the only thing one could think about.

"Come on, honey, it's your turn." Retsu spoke, breaking Rukia from her thoughts. She was so preoccupied that she did not even notice Orihime's meal finish or that she had been sucking on a bottle of air for the past couple minutes.

Blushing, she pulled the empty bottle from between her lips and placed it on the table. An audible crinkle signaled Orihime's placement on the other chair, leaving Retsu's arms free to lift the petite Shinigami up, carrying her over to the high chair. The same bib that Orihime used was tied around Rukia's neck, stained with the missed food particles from its previous user.

During her meal, she found herself much less stubborn about being fed; not outright eager or anything, but less resilient than in the previous few weeks. She did, however, notice that Unohana did not say babyish things or intentionally miss her mouth as she did with Orihime, it was just a normal meal…as much as a meal can be, fed to her in a high chair, anyway. Rukia was even frustrated that she almost seemed to feel a twinge of disappointment at that lack of coddling, despite having fought against it so stalwartly since she was put on punishment. Orihime drank her bottle quietly while Rukia was fed, a blush on her face as she drank from the infantile container.

As a result of her slight eagerness and the lack of interludes for wiping away strong food particles, Rukia finished her meal quite a bit faster than Orihime. Or, it seemed like it to Rukia, at least; Orihime still had a quarter of her bottle to finish, which seemed to support her observation.

"Oh my, I guess someone was hungry, huh?" Retsu cooed as she lifted the tray and removed the girl's bib.

The Shinigami blushed profusely, mentally hitting herself for being so stupid. In her mind, if it looked like she was enjoying her meal, she was afraid that Orihime might think it possible that she actually liked this treatment. Either that or she just came across as hungry. Either was possible, but Rukia was afraid her luck would make it the former.

"Someone is either a slow drinker or someone else is a quick eater." The woman looked at the bottle in Orihime's hands, "Don't worry, you can take it with you!"

"Umm, yay…" The girl remarked, still not sure how to handle this treatment. Once again, the two were scooped up and carried out of the kitchen.

-~-

Rukia looked at the scattered blocks around her and sighed; Unohana had decided that after dinner came more play time. Since they had a "guest", training was apparently a no-go. She had spent all morning stacking these blocks and did not have the wherewithal to rebuild the structure she had spent so much of her day on.

Orihime was quietly sitting, looking at the bottle next to her. It was slightly less full than before, deciding to take a sip or two every few minutes until it was emptied. She also sporadically shifted on her bottom, both due to the lingering ache and the foreign feeling of the cushioned bulk beneath her. Each crinkle was a reminder of how bizarre this entire situation was, as well as the fact that her friend had endured it for the past few weeks compared to her hour or two.

"Hey, um, Rukia…" She began, "I know I said it before, but again, I'm sorry."

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry about it." Rukia replied, not wanting to think about it anymore. Orihime was her best friend as opposed to the bully focusing on those memories would make her out to be.

"Not going to rebuild your mountain?" Orihime questioned, sensing the girl's desire to move past it.

"It was Chappy…" Rukia mumbled.

"Oh, uh, of course." She chuckled, "Well, I'll help rebuild! We'll make it even bigger and better than before!"

"Hmm…okay!" Enthusiasm bubbled forth as she surveyed the pile.

It took them awhile, but, guided by the shorter girl's unique artistic eye, they eventually managed to rebuild the statue to honor the cartoon rabbit. For the life of her, Orihime could not see a rabbit in the structure of blocks, but as long as Rukia did, she was content. To her, it just looked like a non-specific mountain; even the two –one-block wide pillars on the top meant to be ears just looked like two cartoon plumes of lava erupting out of a volcano. Of course, being decently sized cubes, there was only so much that could be done to give a group of them a specific shape.

"Perfect! It's like Chappy is right here with us!" The Shinigami exclaimed, looking over her work.

"Oh, uh, it sure does…"

"Hmm, I wonder…" Rukia began contemplating.

A series of small, subtle lights shimmered around the surface of the blocks as Rukia cast a Bakudo spell on the statue. Normally, this spell was meant to bind a person to a wall, but here, she used it simultaneously on each block to connect one to the next. It was surprisingly simple—the blocks were just one large clump of almost uniform reishi, give or take a negligible amount of paint—while the spell was normally meant to bind a full grown human, which her healing artes training had taught her was infinitely more complex.

As the lights faded, Rukia hesitantly pushed their statue, tipping it over. She closed her eyes and braced for the worst, but all she heard was a single, dull thump. She slowly opened her eyes to see the black structure still in one piece, just lying on the carpet.

"You did it!" Orihime praised, "Good job!"

Rukia decided to ignore that it sounded like she was a little kid being praised for a simple task, and instead just accepted the praise for what it was.

"Yes, very good job, dear." Retsu spoke from next to the two girls, surprising them, "Your training is going well."

"Oh, um, thanks." She muttered.

"However…" Retsu added, "Next time, you might want to better control what you are connecting to what."

"Huh? But it works just fine." Rukia protested.

"Yes, the blocks are connected just fine. However…" Not finishing her sentence, Retsu reached down and lifted Rukia off of her behind. Or she would have, had the bottom of her onesie not connected to the carpet as if it were part of it.

"H-huh? But…" Rukia tried to get a complete thought out of her mouth, but had no idea how to respond.

"You focused so intently on connecting the blocks that you did not pay attention to the reiatsu that was leaking away." Retsu explained, placing the girl back onto the floor.

Orihime had to stifle a giggle at the sight; she did not want to make her friend feel bad, but it just looked so silly.

"Hmm, and it is right where the snaps are, so it will not be easy getting you out without ruining your cute outfit." The woman sighed, "And if I try to release the bonds, it would release the entire Bakudo binding and ruin your cute little spaceship."

"Bunny…" The girl mumbled.

"I guess there's no helping it…" Without explaining herself, the Captain quickly yanked the girl upward, a tearing sound echoing through the room. Retsu surprised the girl yet again by flipping her over to inspect the damage, seeing only a tear halfway across the fabric, right near the snaps, as well as various carpet fibers still clinging to the garment.

"Oh good, that's an easy fix." She mused, walking over to the other corner of the makeshift playpen. She placed Rukia up onto the rocking horse there, patting her gently on the head. "I will be right back so I may sew that back up for you."

Before Rukia had a chance to respond, the woman slid a pacifier into her mouth from behind. As usual, the girl's reaction was to spit it back out automatically. However, instead of tumbling to the floor, the pacifier swung down and bumped into her chest, dangling. Curious, she looked down and saw that it was attached to some sort of clip that had been added to her onesie, no doubt done at the same moment the pacifier had been slid into her mouth.

"Now you do not have to worry about losing it or getting it dirty." Retsu mused as she placed it back in the girl's mouth. Rukia merely grumbled and crossed her arms over her chest, eliciting a smile from her caretaker. "Now then, I'll be right back." Unohana spoke as she left the room.

Once the woman left, Orihime sat up and waddled over to her friend on the rocking horse. "Hehe, maybe next time you shouldn't do Kido by the seat of your pants." She giggled at her own joke.

Rukia pulled the pacifier out of her mouth and stuck her tongue out at the giggling girl. She nearly popped the rubber nub back in before she caught herself, letting it fall against her chest once more. The rocking horse was quite an annoying seat, with the way that any small motions caused it to rock back and forth. That may have been the point of the item, but when one was not looking to use it as such, it was just disorienting and obnoxious. A few more minutes of waiting and the Captain had finally returned from her retrieval task. She was holding a small sewing kit in her hand, as well as some fabric in the other.

"Now then, let's get that onesie off of you so I may fix it." Without another moment of warning, Rukia heard the snaps unbuckle and felt the fabric sliding up her body, leaving her in just the diaper. Instinctively, she crossed her arms over her chest, face reddening a bit.

Orihime had not meant to watch the display, but it had happened so fast that by the time she was able to recognize her friend's embarrassment, it was already over and she was dressed in a new shirt. This one was a shirt like the one Orihime was wearing, as opposed to a onesie, orange with a blue rabbit on it. The petite Shinigami was unsure if it was better than a onesie or not; on one hand, childish design or not, it was not an item exclusively for babies, but on the other, it left her infantile padding on full display. The onesie did not exactly make the diaper discreet, but just the fact that only the bulk of it was noticeable was better than the full garment being shown.

"Now go play with Orihime while I sew this up, okay?" Retsu gave the girl a few gentle pats on her behind and sent her on her way. Rukia reluctantly toddled towards her friend, annoyed that her crinkling was louder without the constriction offered by the onesie.

"Come on, let's go play." Orihime suggested, taking the girl's hand.

They settled on simply passing a ball back and forth. It was the least childish of all the toys available, the blocks included, but Orihime did not dare point that out to the petite girl. During their game, Rukia began to feel a rumble in her gut, one that terrified her.

"No no no no, not now…" She muttered under her breath.

"Huh? Did you say something?" Orihime asked as she tossed the ball back to Rukia.

"Oh! Um, no, nothing." Rukia responded, catching and lobbing the ball back.

"Well, umm, I have a question then…" The girl began, shifting a bit in her spot on the carpet, "How, err, do you wet yourself?"

"…Excuse me?" Rukia blinked, baffled by the question.

"I…I have to go and I know there's no point asking Captain Unohana, but…my body won't let me…" She admitted, her face reddening a bit.

"Oh, well, it can be tough." Rukia hated being the resident expert on wetting oneself, but she could not deny her experience. "You just have to relax and imagine yourself on the toilet."

"I figured, but you just do it so easily, I thought there might be a trick to it." The girl said as she once again pitched the ball.

The Shinigami raised her brow inquisitively before a look of realization dawned on her. Her eyes widened as the ball bounced away from her, immediately jolting her head down. Sure enough, her discolored diaper stared her right in the face. She was sure she had been dry when her onesie was removed, and that meant that Orihime probably got a front row seat as she wet herself, as oblivious to it as any baby would be. Her stomach gurgled a bit in response, reminding her of a similar need she was trying to ignore.

"Oh…well, practice, I guess…" Rukia muttered, laughing nervously.

"Yeah, I see…" The brunette responded.

Rukia suspected that she had not fooled the girl, making it far too obvious. Orihime, sensing the awkwardness, began to close her eyes and sigh. It took a few moments, but she was eventually able to relax her muscles and allow her aching bladder some relief.

It was strange for Rukia to be on the other side of this, watching as the teen's diaper faded from its pristine white color and sag slightly, much as her own did. As the brunette's padding began to shift color, so did the hue of the girl's face; what started as a light blush was becoming more and more of a deep red as her bladder emptied.

Moments later, she let out a sigh and shifted in place, trying to get a feeling for the damp padding. It was quite different than when it was dry, like an entirely new garment. She did not outright hate the feeling—nor did she particularly like it—but the fact that it was caused by her own waste fluids was not exactly the most appealing aspect. While she could weather it out if she had to, she would much rather get changed as soon as possible...or get her adult underwear back, but that seemed like a pipe dream considering the circumstances.

Rukia, on the other hand, was no longer focusing on her friend, now more concerned with the growing rumble and cramping in her own gut. She was running out of time, but could not think of anyway out of this situation. She could accept a future spanking and run for the toilet, but there was no way she would make it in the face of Unohana's speed. Another cramp told her that she was just about out of decision-making time, as well as solutions. She looked around desperately, as if an answer to her issue was going to just materialize in front of her. Alas, no miracle of the sort happened, leading to the inevitable. With a whimper, Rukia felt her body give up, her muscles relaxing to allow release. She began to cry even before the mess had escaped her.

Still trying to get a feeling for her slowly cooling padding, Orihime looked up as she heard the sobs of her friend. From her position, she could not see the slight bulge growing in the back of the girl's diaper, but the odor reached her nose not long after.

"Oh. Oh… Oh my…" She mumbled, not sure how else to react.

It came as a complete shock that Rukia would do that; she did not even seem to give any warnings. Orihime was not even sure that her friend had planned on doing so, which worried her. It had only been a couple weeks, according to Rukia herself, and she was messing herself seemingly without any control? It worried the brunette; both for the sake of her friend's dignity and for her own control if she were to stay here under this punishment. From the first moment Unohana diapered her, she was worrying about eventually wetting herself, but the other type had not even crossed her mind once.

"Oh my, it appears I finished just in time." Retsu commented, holding the presumably fixed garment over her arm, "It looks like both little ones need to be changed."

She reached down and lifted Rukia into her arms, holding her against her body as she attempted to console the sobbing woman. While two weeks of this punishment had meant this was not her first messy accident, just having Orihime see and know it happened was enough to make her cry about it. The disgusting feeling certainly helped the tears out, but she had gotten to the point of messing herself without bawling after the first few times.

"Sssshh…it's alright, you will be all clean soon." Retsu quietly cooed to the girl, gently rocking her.

The rush of her embarrassment was lessening as time passed, though not completely. She almost did not want to stop crying because, as childish as it was, she did not want the Captain and Orihime to think she needed to be coddled and cuddled to calm down, like an actual baby. Still though, as much as time was the biggest factor, she found herself grateful for the comfort of being held against the woman's warm body.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she found herself gently pulled away from Retsu and laid on the thin padding she recognized from the changing table. She had not even noticed that she had been carried into the nursery, Orihime apparently allowed to waddle behind on her own so that Retsu could soothe the weeping girl.

"Up you go!" The sudden voice of Retsu made the girl watch as Orihime was lifted off the ground, surprising the brunette, and laid down on the changing table next to Rukia. The table was wide enough to accommodate them both, though there was little additional let other than that.

Both girls glanced at each other before turning away with a blush. The sound of multiple tapes tearing echoed through the room as Unohana undid both of the diapers, letting them fall forward. Rukia looked to the side as her mess was exposed, not wanting to meet the eye of her caretaker or her friend, though the smell was much harder to ignore now.

Wipes in hand, Retsu began to clean Rukia as if it were no big deal, something that Orihime found to be truly strange. It was odd enough for herself to be sitting in the cool air waiting to be cleaned, yet Unohana was cleaning a much more significant accident. She knew the woman was stoic but certainly this was enough to get a reaction out of her, right? Rukia was certainly humiliated, turning away and holding her hands over her eyes, but yet the Captain was as unflinching as a mother changing her child, perhaps even moreso. The cold, moist touch against her bare privates broke Orihime out of her thoughts, causing her to jolt backwards and nearly fall off the table.

"Careful there, honey." Unohana warned, not missing a beat.

Orihime could only nod, embarrassed at her reaction. Rukia was no longer covering her eyes, but her face was still red and facing the wall. This time, the brunette was prepared for the wipe that made contact, still fidgeting a bit at how cool it felt against her damp flesh. Orihime expected a long, drawn out spectacle, perhaps because she had done the same to Rukia, but Unohana expertly cleaned her quite swiftly. The wipes were tossed in the bin with the rest, followed soon by the used diaper under her. A small yelp escaped her mouth as her behind was lifted higher to slide the fresh padding under it and then lowered back down. She felt it strange to be glad for the clean diaper, but it felt better than the clammy, wet one. The sweet smell of baby powder drifted through the air as the woman liberally dusted the privates of her two wards, saving time by spreading the powder around with both hands, one to each girl. Shortly after, the matching bunny-print diapers were pulled into place and taped snugly, a bit moreso on the taller girl.

"There we go, two clean babies." The woman cooed.

With a sigh at the expected coddling, Rukia sat up on the table. Orihime followed her example, wincing a bit at the dull ache still present on her behind.

Their change completed, Retsu carried both girls out of the nursery and into the living area. While Orihime did not notice it, Rukia immediately recognized something new in the room, a television set across from the couch.

"I do not watch television myself," Retsu began, sensing Rukia's coming questions, "But it is still good to have one around just in case. I found it in my closet when searching for my sewing kit and figured you two girls could use a treat of sorts."

She set the two girls down next to each other on the couch, and headed into the kitchen. Rukia was suspicious, to say the least; why would Retsu give them a treat when they were being punished, one of them just starting their punishment this very afternoon? It was quite unlike the woman and almost made her nervous.

However, she believed her question to be answered a few moments later when Retsu returned from the kitchen with two bottles of apple juice. As far as Rukia figured, this was the so-called treat, nothing more than another infantile activity. She had no idea how the television figured into it, but paid that aspect little mind as she reluctantly accepted the chilled juice into her hand.

"I thought you might want a bottle with the show." The Captain said as she handed Orihime her bottle.

Before either girl could ask, Retsu was already over by the television and inserting a disc into the player below it. The girls waited for whatever it was to begin, Rukia's eyes going wide as she saw a familiar character adorning the screen. It was Chappy the bunny, but not from the regular cartoon series that Rukia knew and loved, but one that was somehow even…simpler. It had less animation and a simpler design than usual, making the self-professed fan wonder why she had never seen this. Once the title screen popped up and the narrator began to speak, Rukia understood why: this was the series meant for toddlers. As much as Rukia liked the character of Chappy, she had never made the decision to watch it due to how much more childish it was when compared to the regular show, which was still skewed towards the juvenile residents of the Soul Society.

And yet, she could not take her eyes off the screen. What should have been simple, preschool level of entertainment was somehow captivating her, merely by the presence of her favorite character. She barely even noticed as she scooted off the couch and closer to the television, sitting on her knees. Retsu smiled at the display and sat on the couch, pulling her sewing kit back out. Orihime watched the woman pull the onesie out and begin to fix the rest of the rip that had occurred. She had claimed to have finished back when Rukia had her messy accident and yet here was the proof that she had not actually finished it. Had she perhaps been trying to spare Rukia's feelings so the girl did not think that Retsu had to intervene with her crying like she was a toddler? Whatever the case, Unohana was nearly completed with her repairs and Rukia was far too absorbed with her silly show to notice and probably even too much to care.

"No, Shelly the Turtle, the balloon is blue, not orange!" The Shinigami shouted at the show.

Orihime giggled and began to watch the way her friend reacted to the show. It was as if the rest of the world had faded away, leaving only her and her show. Orihime began to grow curious at just how little attention her friend was paying to anything else. A glance over at the onesie being mended gave her an idea of how to do that. Reaching over, she gently unclipped the pacifier from the fabric, careful not to interrupt Unohana's work, and inched off the couch. She wobbled over to Rukia, making as little noise as her rustling padding allowed, and gently slipped the pacifier between the girl's lips. The results were even more adorable than she expected; without even breaking concentration, Rukia began to suckle gently and rhythmically on the soother.

"Four!" She answered the question the show presented to its young audience, even holding up four fingers to emphasize her answer.

Orihime held her giggling in check and sat back down on the couch to watch and see if Rukia would ever notice the pacifier she had in her mouth or that she was engrossed in a show meant for young children. Yet, as the episode went on, finished and the next one began, the Shinigami continued to be oblivious to the rest of the world. During this time, Retsu finished her repairs on the outfit, folding it up and placing it to the side. With her task complete, she began to watch her ward enjoy her show, a genuine smile on her face, seeming to grow a slight bit wider every time that Rukia interacted with the characters.

Soon, the final of the four episodes on the disk ended, bringing the show back to the menu screen. Rukia waited for it to continue, before she dropped on her behind and turned to Unohana.

"Is that it?" She asked behind the pacifier.

"Mhm, there are more episodes, but that is all for you tonight." The woman answered, sitting up from the couch.

"Aww, but-"

"Now now, you can watch more another time. There are two little ones who need their bath now before I put them to bed for the night." She turned the television off and the ejected the disk as she spoke.

"…A bath? But…" It was just the jolt Rukia needed for the circumstances of her situation to come rushing back to her. The pacifier fell from her mouth to the floor as the realization of the past hour and a half's actions collided with her conscious intelligence and maturity. And now, that seemed minor compared to what Retsu had just said.

Orihime, despite finding the girl's little performance to be funny and adorable, was currently in the same boat as her friend. While a bath would feel nice, the brunette was quite sure that their caretaker was not going to have them take turns or even allow them to bathe themselves. She was not sure if she could handle that, even though she had already had her diaper changed by the woman.

"Come now, let's go." Unohana said as she lifted the two up into her arms as if they weighed nothing.

Both girls blushed and tried not to think about where they were heading. Once in the bathroom, Unohana gently stood the two on the floor next to the tub, turning the faucet on. Rukia knew from experience that the tub was large enough for two people, remembering her baths with Unohana, so there was no doubt in her mind at what Unohana was expecting.

Sure enough, the woman turned from the slowly filling tub and wasted no time in getting the two ready for the impending bath. Both shirts were pulled off, as well as a bra in Orihime's case, and their diapers were removed, accompanied by comments about how they were still dry, as if they needed to be told that.

The time spent waiting for the tub to finish seemed to crawl, both girls covering their nudity with their arms and refusing to look each other in the eye, too embarrassed. Even if they had each seen the other nude recently, the circumstances were different and it was not at the same time. Once the tub was high enough, Retsu turned off the faucet and gave each a pat on the behind to usher them in.

While Rukia had gotten used to being bathed in the past few weeks, it had yet to completely lose its embarrassing nature, especially now that Orihime was sitting right next to her, just as naked as she was. The two girls tried to keep their eyes closed to pretend that the other one was not there, but it was difficult. Rukia kept hearing the various yelps and utterances of Orihime, who was not used to being bathed and also sporting a sore backside. For Orihime, being bathed was a new experience, so it was harder to separate that awkwardness from the embarrassment that came with being naked next to her friend. Regardless of how long it seemed to take, the two managed to weather through their soak, lifted out of the tub and dried off with a couple of fluffy towels.

Retsu carried the two bare girls back to the nursery, quickly powdering and diapering them in the infantile padding. While neither girl liked that they were being diapered, it was more than expected, so just the reprieve from the more extreme nudity was enough to calm their humiliation somewhat. Rukia was dressed in a blue onesie with a star pattern, noticing that a different pacifier had been clipped to it, this one of a matching color to the garment. Instead of a regular shirt this time, Orihime was dressed in a onesie as well, pink with a red stripe down the sides. As her bra had not been replaced, her chest's stretching of the fabric was a bit more obvious to those who looked, something Rukia found herself inadvertently doing.

"There we go, all dressed and ready for beddybye time." The Captain cooed, dropping the side of the crib.

While Orihime had known it was coming since their bath, now that she was about to sleep in the same bed as the woman she had poured her heart out to earlier that afternoon, she was starting to get nervous. Not quite the embarrassment she expected, and she was not sure why. Yet, the two were deposited into the crib without a single bit of hesitation. Much like the changing table, the two could fit in the crib without discomfort, though they would easily bump into each other if either rolled over in their sleep.

"Oh my, how could I forget?" Retsu said as she placed Chappy in the bed between the two of them, "Good night, you two."

As she wished them goodnight, Unohana reached down and gave both a quick, motherly kiss on the forehead, locking the crib's side up and into place. It would do little to prevent the two of them from escaping if they wanted to, but the thought of Retsu's intimidating retribution certainly did. She said no more as she left the room, turning the light off and closing the door behind her.

Moments passed in awkward silence, neither girl knowing what to say. It was early for Orihime, so she was wide awake. Rukia, conditioned by her recently early bedtime, found herself growing sleepier with every passing second.

"Umm, this is certainly an interesting experience." Orihime eventually broke the silence that pervaded the room.

"Tch, yeah, it's something all right…" Rukia muttered between yawns.

"Hehe, I wasn't quite as much into that show as you were, though."

"Uh-huh, funny show…"

"…Good night, Rukia."

The only response she received was the rhythmic sound of the girl suckling on her pacifier, sound asleep. The brunette positioned the stuffed rabbit in her friend's arm and tucked the blanket over her, followed by over herself. Despite the early hour, the girl found herself slowly drifting off as well, perhaps comforted by the presence of her friend, falling asleep just a few short minutes after Rukia.


	11. Chapter 11

Once again, Rukia found herself as a helpless infant, wailing at the top of her tiny lungs. Yet Hisana continued to fade into the black void, disappearing entirely just moments later. Still, the infant cried, cried for the loss of her sister, cried for her own fate, her own loneliness.

"Ssshh, it's okay, Mommy is here." A voice suddenly broke through the abyss, soothing and gentle.

The infant found herself lifted up, held against the tall body that presumably belonged to the same person as the voice. Rukia did not know to whom it belonged, but it was so calming and comforting that the baby found her tears dissipating. As she cuddled against the soothing warmth, her worries and doubts seemed to fade. She had so many things she wanted to say, yet her infantile mouth could only form one word.

"Mama…"

Rukia opened her eyes immediately, the dream still fresh in her mind. It was the same dream as before, yet now punctuated with an addition at the end, an addition that Rukia did not know what to make of. Thinking about it gave her an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach; not uncomfortable, just…odd.

The morning sun shimmered through the window, the amount of light telling her that it was a bit earlier than she usually awoke. She sighed as she felt the pacifier between her lips, but did not spit it out. She figured that if she fell back asleep, she would rather not end up sucking on her thumb, leaving the digit sticky and drool-covered.

As she rolled back over to try and sleep again, she recognized that the crib was missing one of its occupants. Chappy was cuddled under one of her arms but Orihime was nowhere to be found.

"Come now, Orihime, arms up." As if on cue, she heard the voice of Retsu giving a command to Orihime.

Turning back over in the crib, Rukia saw the two of them standing. Instead of speaking up, Rukia decided to watch to see what was happening. Orihime complied with the command and held her arms up. As Rukia watched, the woman unsnapped the crotch of the onesie and began to tug it up and over Orihime's head. Normally, Rukia would turn to give her friend some privacy, but as her back was to her, it was unnecessary.

"U-umm…I have to go to the bathroom…" Orihime mumbled.

"Well go ahead, then. No need to waste a perfectly good diaper." Retsu responded, a gentle smile on her face.

Even facing her back, Rukia could tell the girl was blushing. A blush that deepened moments later as Rukia watched the padding begin to sag between the girl's legs, the bunny prints around it fading away.

"Is that all? No other bathroom needs to attend to?" Retsu asked.

"No!" Orihime quickly squeaked, mortified of the thought.

Instead of lifting the girl onto the changing table, Rukia watched, confused, as she just undid each of the diaper tapes and let the sodden garment fall to the floor. Despite what she felt she should do for her friend's sake, Rukia could not look away, noticing that Orihime's behind was just the slightest bit pink from the lingering spanking. Orihime stood still while Unohana wiped her down. While Rukia wondered how Retsu planned on powdering the girl while she was standing, her question was already being answered as she saw Orihime stepping into something that Retsu was holding down near her legs. The woman tugged the garment into place, but Rukia noticed that they were not panties, but one of the pull-up medical briefs she had worn when she first woke up in the woman's home. Yet, compared to her own thick, infantile diaper, it might as well have been panties. A diaper that she was annoyed, but sadly not surprised, to find was wet. She hoped it happened in her sleep and she just did not notice it until now, but considering it was still warm, it easily could have occurred while she watched the spectacle.

"I did laundry after you girls went to bed last night, so do not worry." Rukia looked back over to see Orihime being helped into the same skirt that she wore when she arrived to babysit. Next came the black bra as well, secured into place and still sizable enough to make the diapered Shinigami jealous. It did not take a lot of thought to guess what came next, and sure enough, the girl's shirts were pulled over her head and into place.

"There you go, all done." Retsu spoke, looking over the outfit.

"Th-thank you." Orihime quietly responded.

"You are welcome." Came the quick response, "I folded your underwear and placed them in your bag. I do not want you changing until you get home, however."

"Oh, um, o-okay…" Orihime mumbled, having no plans whatsoever to change her underwear outside the privacy of Unohana's or her own home.

"Are you sure you do not want me to escort you to the Senkaimon, at least?" The woman asked.

"No no, I'll be fine, thanks." Orihime responded, "Besides, you should be here in case Rukia wakes up."

"If that is your decision, Miss Inoue." The Captain said as she handed the girl the purse she had arrived with.

Just hearing her be called Miss Inoue by the woman instead of her first name, cemented what was happening as far as Rukia was concerned. No longer was Orihime her peer as deigned by Retsu, she was now back to the higher status she was before she had got in trouble, free to babysit whenever she was needed.

"Umm, thanks for having me…I think?" Orihime was not sure the proper etiquette for a departure under these circumstances, but it seemed necessary to thank someone who gave you food and a place to stay for a night.

"You are more than welcome." Unohana responded, sporting a smile that told Orihime that she had made the right decision. "But there is no need to be so hasty. I may not be escorting you to the Senkaimon, but I can at least see you out the front door."

"Oh, right, of course." The girl said, heading for the door. Before stepping out, she stopped for a moment to turn to look at Rukia, causing the Shinigami to immediately close her eyes, using her position on her side to pretend to still be asleep. With her eyes closed, Rukia was unable to see her smile before turning to head out of the nursery.

With the sounds of the two walking away from the room, Rukia opened her eyes and sat up. Emotions spread through her mind; jealousy, sadness, even relief. She was glad that her friend had been able to go back to her adult life, but also sad that she was gone.

"Ah, you're up." Retsu said, standing in the door jamb.

"Umm, where's Orihime?" Rukia asked. She knew the answer, but she would not have if she were asleep as she had pretended.

"I allowed her to go home." Came the answer, simple and brief.

"But…why does she get to go home after half a day of punishment, while I've been here for a few weeks!?" Rukia had no idea where to start with comments and questions, so she decided to start with what Retsu would expect of her.

"Well first of all, she has school to attend." Unohana began, lowering the side of the crib. "I cannot exactly call her school and tell them that she will not be attending for the near future. Whereas I can quite easily get you a temporary exemption from duty from Juushiro, which I did.

"E-even so, I wouldn't think you'd let that stop you…" Rukia mumbled as she was lifted out of the crib.

"It did not." The woman quickly and calmly stated, "Her actions, while worthy of punishment, pale compared to yours. You could have died from overexerting yourself as you did." She chided, laying Rukia on the changing table. Normally, the girl would be annoyed that her caretaker did not even have to check to see if she needed a change—while also being annoyed if a check had been performed—but she was too concerned with having her questions answered. "With her actions and dialogue to you yesterday, I fully believe she understands what she did wrong and now knows better."

"And you don’t think I understand not to overexert myself?" Rukia questioned as her onesie was unsnapped and tugged over her head.

"You may say that you know better, but just the fact that you compared your misdeed to Miss Inoue's shows that you do not comprehend the magnitude of what you did, the way your death would affect everyone and make loved ones like Miss Inoue so distraught." Rukia stayed quiet after that scolding, no rebuttal or comeback able to fend off that logic.

"Besides, you are here to be trained in the healing artes." Retsu continued, tearing off the tapes of the used diaper. "Even if a mortal could use Kido, there is nothing I could teach Miss Inoue about healing."

Rukia once more stayed quiet, not even so much as blushing as she wiped clean. However, she could not hold back her emotions any longer, as much as she wanted to.

"She didn't say goodbye…" Rukia mumbled.

"Hmm, what was that, dear?"

"She left without saying goodbye. Why wouldn't she say goodbye to me?" Rukia repeated louder.

"Perhaps the same reason you didn't say goodbye to her despite watching the whole time." Rukia fidgeted a bit; of course Retsu had noticed, it seemed impossible to get something past her.

"Silence made the departure easier for the both of you." The woman continued, spreading baby powder around the girl's skin, "If either of you had said goodbye, she be tempted to stay just to be closer to you. But since you both knew she had a life in the World of the Living that would not wait for her, you both did what had to be done to make it as easy as possible."

"I guess…" Rukia mumbled, unable to think of a single counterargument to her logic.

"Besides, I am sure I will need a babysitter again eventually, anyway." Unohana said as she slid a fresh diaper under the girl's behind.

With her padding in place, Retsu sat her up on the changing table and began to help her into the outfit she had chosen. Rukia was not exactly the most helpful during this task, but she also was not actively impeding the progress of getting changed. Soon enough, though, Retsu had her in a new outfit, pale violet shortalls speckled with small snowflake designs, and a light blue shirt underneath.

"Aww, so cute." Retsu cooed, enjoying her own outfit choice.

"Uh-huh…" Rukia absentmindedly responded, looking down at the floor.

Unohana frowned, putting her finger to her chin as she began to think. "Hmm, you know what this calls for? I was saving this treat for when you progressed further in your training, but I suppose you have earned this..."

"Huh?" Rukia looked up as she grew curious.

"I cannot just tell you, that would ruin the surprise!" Retsu exclaimed, patting the girl on the head, "I must make a few preparations, honey, so stay here for a few minutes, okay?"

Rukia slowly nodded, confused but also intrigued. Turning back to the dresser, Retsu reached into a different drawer and pulled out a familiar black and white folded bundle.

"Here, put on your Shihakusho while you are waiting."

"Umm, okay…" Rukia said, reaching for one of the straps of her shortalls.

"No, no, put your Shihakusho on over your current outfit, silly." Unohana said as if it should have been obvious.

As Retsu steped out of the nursery, Rukia began to dress in her Shinigami uniform. She found herself fumbling with getting her more complicated clothing on properly, assuming that the shortalls were just somehow making her task more difficult.

It took a bit longer than she felt it should have, but eventually her outfit was on and properly in place, waiting somewhat impatiently for her caretaker to return. It took several minutes, but the woman finally made her appearance again, carrying Rukia's diaper bag, as well as some sort of basket.

"Are you ready, dear?" Unohana asked, looking over the job she did dressing herself.

"Umm, I think so?" With no way of knowing what she was preparing for, she could only answer in a vague, noncommittal way. 

Retsu smiled and headed over to the changing table, opening the cupboard. Rukia fidgeted in place a bit as she watched the woman grab multiple diapers, a package of wipes and a canister of baby powder, placing them all in the diaper bag.

"Well, if you say you are ready, then who am I to argue?" Unohana said almost teasingly, reaching over to poke the girl on the lips.

Or she would have, had her finger not been blocked by the plastic knob on the front of the pacifier's mouthguard. The woman smiled as the smaller Shinigami's eyes widened with fearful recognition, spitting it out nearly automatically. She had woken up with it in her mouth and completely forgotten about it with all that had happened. She had even managed to speak coherently enough around it without noticing. The woman had expected that reaction, grabbing the soother out of the air and placing it in a small, plastic case after using a few tissues to wipe it down. The case was placed in the diaper bag, which she slung over her shoulder, using that same arm to carry the basket.

"Let's head out, the sun will not stay out forever." Retsu said, moving towards the door.

Rukia began to follow, but stopped as something caught her eye. Chappy was lying in the crib, plastic eyes looking right at Rukia. She hesitated, but quickly went to the crib and grabbed the stuffed rabbit, rushing back over to her caretaker's side.

Rukia was unsure where they were headed, but from the moment they stepped outside, it certainly was not the training facility, taking the opposite direction from their usual path. She clutched her bunny tightly as they walked; no matter how many times they had walked to the facility, she was always paranoid that the few Shinigami they passed would be able to somehow know that she was wearing childish clothes and a diaper under her Shinigami uniform. Especially today, since she was carrying Chappy with her. Her love of bunnies and certain childish things was in no way unknown, but she did not male a point of carrying a stuffed animal around with her, either.

"Excuse me, Captain Unohana!" A voice behind them shouted.

"Hmm? Seventh Seat Shuuu Boufuuu, what is it?" The woman spoke as she turned to face the man.

"I'm sorry to bother you and Lieutenant Kuchiki, but Lieutenant Kotetsu asked to speak to you." The teal-haired man said.

"I see, did she mention the reason?"

"No, ma'am."

"Well it is on the way, so I suppose a small detour is alright." She replied, "Thank you, Shuuu, you are dismissed."

"Thank you. Good day Captain Unohana…and you as well, Lieutenant Kuchiki." Fuuu said, giving a bow before he left.

"Let's not keep Isane waiting now, dear." Retsu turned and began to walk once more.

While Rukia did not know where their final destination was, their current detour was supposed to be "on the way there", yet it was further from Unohana's home than the training facility was, implying that her surprise was quite the way's away.

After walking for what seemed like a long time, Unohana stopped them in front of a nondescript building. Rukia assumed that was the location of their detour, one that was making her increasingly nervous. There was no reason to assume that Isane would be able to detect what was under her Shihakusho, and yet she could only focus on that infinitesimal possibility as they walked inside.

As they entered, Rukia realized what the building was: it was Unohana's alternate office. Each of the thirteen Captains had a secondary office away from the Division Headquarters. It was useful for when the Captain or one of their trusted subordinates wanted to do some work away from the hustle and bustle of the Division HQ and also as a safer location to store important documents in case the HQ was ransacked by an enemy force. That certainly explained why the building was so plain and ordinary.

As they stepped inside, they were greeted by an empty room. There were some sounds coming from upstairs where the actual office was, so they headed up. Sure enough, Isane was sitting at the desk filing paperwork. She did not seem to notice the two, at least until Retsu cleared her throat gently to let their presence be known. The tall woman nearly jumped in her chair, startled by the sudden voices.

Isane was quite unlike her sister, who Rukia was all too familiar with. While Kiyone was short and hyperactive, Isane was tall and reserved, almost awkward when it came to any social situations. Her short, silver hair seemed a bit more unkempt than usual as she stood up to greet the two visitors.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, I didn't see you there." She apologized, adjusting her Shihakusho.

"Do not worry about it." Retsu replied, "I trust things are going well?"

"Yes, we have things under control in your temporary absence." Isane replied, her eyes drifting over to Rukia. "Oh, Lieutenant Kuchiki, I did not notice you there. I trust you're enjoying your time as a pupil of the Captain."

"Uhh, yeah, I'm learning a lot…" Rukia could almost swear she could hear a hint of annoyance in the woman's voice.

"I do not mean to sound impatient, but we were told that you wanted to see me?" Unohana interrupted.

"Oh, right, sorry, ma'am, there's just some documents I am not authorized to sign in your stead, as well as one that there's an issue with."

Rukia sighed and sat on one of the chairs against the wall, knowing how long this was going to take.

"Show me this troublesome document first." Retsu said, glancing over to Rukia as she sighed.

"Ah, right, well in this document you signed to increase the patrols threefold, but I assume that's just a mistake and you meant to increase the patrols by three Shinigami each."

"While I understand why you would think so and commend your diligence in going through this paperwork, I did indeed mean a threefold increase."

"That…seems extreme and unwarranted…and in that case, you did not fill out the required reasoning on the form." Isane pointed to the large blank area on the bottom of the document.

"You will just have to trust me when I say it is necessary. Do not worry about the reasoning." Retsu responded.

"Even so…the reasoning is required for Logistics to approve and process it, especially for such a drastic increase." The tall woman explained.

"Isane, I said not to worry." Unohana rebutted, "I guarantee you that Logistics and Central 46 will both accept the request as it is without question. As your Captain, I am telling you not to worry about it anymore."

"…Yes, ma'am." Isane replied, quickly moving the document to the side. "Now, I just need some signatures on these." She placed multiple thick folders of documents onto the desk.

Rukia waited impatiently as documents were signed and collated and other boring things were done to them. Usually, intradivisional affairs were not this boring to her—though they were certainly no party—but this was especially excruciating. Rukia found her thoughts drifting, boredom overtaking her. She thought back to the educational cartoon she watched the previous night, humming the theme song as she idly kicked her legs.

Almost an hour had passed since they arrived and still the two were not finished working, the petite Shinigami finding herself quickly running out of songs to hum. Rukia suddenly stopped humming as a look of relief washed over her face. By the time she realized what was happening, it was too late. She could feel her diaper grow warm and damp beneath her clothing, fidgeting a bit in her seat.

Another hour or so passed as she waited, her soaked padding growing more and more clammy as it cooled. She glanced back over at the desk and saw that Isane was placing the last of the large folders in front of her Captain.

"Okay, this is the last one." The silver haired woman said as she opened the folder, "Oh no, this isn't the right one. The covers must have gotten swapped accidentally." Isane sat up and headed for the door, folder in arm. "I am sorry, Captain. It'll just be a moment while I run down to the basement and grab the right one."

Retsu merely nodded and smiled, giving her subordinate implicit permission to leave. Once Isane was out of the office, Retsu closed the door and turned to face Rukia.

"Oh, Rukia…already?" The woman asked rhetorically, "I suppose it is my fault for giving you a bottle of juice just before bed last night."

"I-I didn't mean to! It's just…we've been here forever!" Rukia whined, annoyed, but not surprised, that the woman had been able to deduce her accident.

"Yes, yes, I suppose…Come now, let's get you changed." Unohana said, picking the diaper bag up.

"What!?" Rukia nearly shouted, "But Isane…"

"You have been in that diaper long enough. It may be able to hold another full wetting or two, but I do not want you risking a rash by waiting until we get all the way to our destination." The woman replied, "Besides, I have been in that basement. It will take awhile to search through the necessary files."

"But still!" The petite Shinigami pleaded, "…No!" She even stomped her foot like a child throwing a tantrum.

"You have two options: you can either cooperate and get changed quickly, or you can be a brat, get a spanking for your troubles and the get a change anyway. It seems like the latter might take some time…"

Rukia hesitated for a moment before standing up out of her chair. "Fine! Just…hurry up!"

While the woman was not exactly dawdling, Rukia knew that she should be able to do it faster, easily. By the time that Unohana had rolled out a cloth changing mat, Rukia had already removed her Shihakusho and was shimmying out of her shortalls. She hustled over to the mat and lied down, inadvertently tapping her foot as she waited. True to her word, Retsu was moving faster than usual, though not as much as Rukia would have liked.

She was nude and wiped clean within a minute, the old diaper still opened beneath her bottom. Retsu turned to grab the baby powder and opened the canister. While Rukia was afraid that the powder's aroma would linger and be noticeable to Isane, she could not focus on that scenario when she was so fearful of another, albeit unlikely, one.

Despite what Unohana had assured her, her heart nearly stopped as she heard the mechanics of the doorknob click. Many thoughts for what to do between then and the door opening came to mind: covering her privates with her hand, grabbing her clothes and incriminating evidence and hiding under the desk, pulling the mat out from under her and using it to cover her lower half, even tackling Isane and knocking her unconscious before she even has a chance to see anything. And yet, despite her myriad of options, Rukia could not so much as flinch, her body frozen in fear as the door began its seemingly eternal opening.

"My mistake, Captain. The documents we needed were in the second half of this folder, so…" Isane's words died on her tongue as she saw the scene in front of her: Lieutenant Kuchiki was nude from the waste down, lying on a clearly stained and used diaper, with the Captain holding a bottle of talcum powder above her skin.

Unohana pursed her lips the slightest bit as Isane walked in, but did not so much as hesitate to begin spreading baby powder on Rukia's skin.

"I-I…umm…" Words utterly failed Isane, thinking she fell on the way down the stairs and was hallucinating.

"It is impolite to gawk, Isane." Retsu simply said, "For the duration of her training, Rukia is being made to wear protection. It is nothing to be ashamed of, nor does it signal a lack of bodily control."

Figuring she could save a small scrap of dignity if she could not see the spotlight focused on her, Rukia held her hands over her eyes. She was not even sure if it was better or worse that Retsu told the Lieutenant that the diapers were not medically necessary. While it would still be embarrassing, it would at least be understandable and something that would make a person a jerk for making fun of. And as the Lieutenant of the medical division, Isane was probably more sympathetic about medical issues such as that. Retsu had not even said they were a punishment, just "part of her training" which could give Isane any number of impressions, seemingly none of them good.

"I-I see…" Isane mumbled, her face nearly as red as the one having her diaper changed. "I will…give you two some privacy, then…"

"Isane, since you are here," Retsu began, as if she did not hear her Lieutenant, "Please get a new diaper out of the bag. In my haste, I forgot to grab one."

"Oh, uh, sure…" Isane hesitantly replied.

The tall woman slowly walked over and reached into the bag, pulling out a thick diaper. She gawked at its thickness and childish design, unable to notice those attributes on the one that had been open below Rukia. She quickly cleared her throat and headed over to her Captain, handing her the crinkling garment.

"Thank you, Isane." Retsu replied as she began to tape the garment in place.

As much as Rukia hated to admit it, the diaper being clad around her waist was less embarrassing than being nude, at least when the other people knew about the diapers.

"There you go, dear." Retsu stated, patting the front of the garment as she stood up. "Now why don't you get dressed while we finish the last of the paperwork?"

Unohana threw the used padding in the trash can and headed back over to the desk. Isane quickly followed, opening the folder to the necessary documents.

Despite how much noise her diaper made while doing so, Rukia got dressed as fast as possible, not wanting to have her unique underwear or childish outfit exposed for any longer than they already had been. While she was changing, she saw Isane's various quick glances over towards her, Rukia blushing a bit more each time.

"If that is all, we will take our leave now." Retsu said as she signed the last form.

"Oh, of course. Thank you for your time, Captain." Isane replied, taking one last quick peek at Rukia, who was adjusting her Shihakusho.

The Captain rolled the changing mat off the floor and secured it in the bag. She looked over Rukia's job dressing herself and, apparently satisfied, headed towards the door.

"Oh, and Isane, what you saw today is a private matter." Retsu began, not even turning to face her Lieutenant, "I trust not a single soul will hear of this…"

"O-of course, Captain, I wouldn't dream of it." Isane fearfully mumbled, the threatening nature imbued in the Captain's inflection terrifying enough to almost make her need one of those diapers at the moment. 

"Very good. Come on, dear." Unohana gestured for Rukia, who quickly hustled to her side, trying not to make eye contact with Isane.

Rukia had a lot she wanted to say to the woman, but managed to wait until they were outside and she had been able to make sure that there was no one else around.

"How could you let that happen!?" Rukia nearly whined, "Now Isane knows…"

"Excuse me? You were the one who hesitated, dear." Unohana replied, looking unfazed.

"I hesitated because of the potential for what actually did happen!" Rukia shouted.

"Yes, well, had Isane not made an error, she would have been gone more than long enough to change you."

"But she did make a mistake!" Rukia exclaimed, stomping her foot like a grumpy child.

"Truthfully, she was more than likely going to find out anyway." The woman nonchalantly responded, "I had chosen her as my backup babysitter if Miss Inoue was unavailable. If I had needed her, she would of course have to be made aware of the situation."

"I-I…but…" Rukia stammered, unsure how to respond to this unexpected revelation.

"More importantly, do remember that this is meant to be a reward for you." She began, "Yet you persist in acting like a spoiled brat. Furthermore, it is only by the grace of my own mercy that you are allowed to wear your Shihakusho over your outfit; mercy that is waning as you continue to disrespect me."

"S-sorry…" Rukia squeaked out, all the fight in her fading as she was scared on invoking the Captain's wrath.

Unohana merely nodded at the apology and continued leading the girl towards their destination. They walked in silence for several minutes before Rukia found her voice once more.

"Hey, umm, what…what would you do if you found out that Isane had told someone?" She quietly asked.

"Well, first of all, it's not a matter of 'if I found out', if Isane were to tell a single soul, I would know." She explained, "At that point, it would be insubordination, but worst of all, it would be the infraction of breaking my trust"

"Uh-huh, but what you do to her for those crimes?"

"In this scenario, I would remove her rank and position and send her back to once more being a first year in the Shinigami Academy, having to start from the very beginning." The woman casually said, "And, of course, until the long off day where she once again earned her position of Lieutenant, she would be subjected to the same punishment as you are now. Though, I would be much less…willing to be discreet with her."

Rukia's eyes widened at the explanation. It certainly made her feel even better now that she was sure that Isane would keep the secret to herself. It also terrified her that Retsu would be willing to do something so drastic, even for a breach of trust of that magnitude. She was so lost in thought over the discussion she started that she did not even notice as Retsu took her by the hand as they walked.

Wherever they were headed, it was far from her temporary home. Buildings passed them by, growing smaller and thinner as they left the Seireitei and entered the rundown area known as the Rukongai. Still they walked, seemingly endlessly, further and further away from anywhere Rukia recognized. Until, however, they reached the gate, one of four tremendous doors in the wall encircling the Soul Society, one located in each of the cardinal directions.

"Hello, Captain Unohana, Lieutenant Kuchiki. Going through?" The man behind the booth next to the gate asked.

"Yes, please. We will be out for most of the day." Unohana said.

The man nodded and hit the button on his desk. The earth rumbled as the mechanisms in the enormous door roared to life. Slowly but surely, the door opened upwards, much more than the couple meters that would be necessary to let them through. The gate finally stopped at half its height, loudly creaking to a halt.

As the two stepped through the gate, the door began its descent to its secure position. Outside of the Soul Society was mostly forest and clearings, other than a few scant buildings here and there belonging to those that had forsaken the Soul Society without being branded as treasonous.

Rukia sighed in relief as they left the Soul Society, knowing that there was almost zero chance of running into anyone, and even less of any of the hypothetical people noticing and recognizing the widened gait her diaper caused.

Through trees and clearings and down old paths, they continued walking, causing Rukia to grow more and more curious as to where they could possibly be going. She could not help but feel that this area seemed familiar somehow but considered it was probably just her imagination.

That is, however, until they stepped out of the current bundle of trees and into the next clearing. Spread across the ground were patches of snow, varying in density, growing more and more compact in the distance. Large pillars and swaths of ice were scattered randomly as far as the eye could see in the distance. It was the area she had been training herself in a few weeks ago, the latent spiritual energy imbued in the ice and snow giving it a significant resistance to the warmth of the recent days and even nights. Despite that, it was clear that the weather was starting to take its toll; the snow was patchy as it melted in places while the large ice structures were partially collapsing in places and covered in condensation.

As the area came into sight, the woman smiled. She had done this purposefully; even if this outing was supposed to be a reward for Rukia, she had decided to layer it with a stark reminder of why she was being punished in the first place. That certainly fit with the woman's general cunning and duplicity.

While it seemed that Retsu had passed here to make sure that Rukia could take the sight in, after a few moments she began walking to the left, towards where the snow was thinning out. As they were still holding hands, Rukia followed along behind her. After a few minutes, they stopped in a large clearing free of any snow, the edge of the many acres of ice snow a hundred meters or so away.

"This is as good a place as any." Unohana placed the basket on the ground and opened it. From within, she pulled out a folded piece of canvas, white and adorned with flowers. She quickly unfolded it and spread it out on the grass, placing the basket on top. Rukia looked at the basket and the large tarp and realized what her supposed reward was.

"A picnic?" She asked Retsu.

"Very good, dear." She replied, not at all sarcastically, "Now that we are here, you may remove your Shihakusho." She said it as if Rukia had wanted to before and was just given permission.

"I'd rather just-" She began, before stopping when she saw the way the woman looked at her.

With a sigh and a bit of trepidation, Rukia began stripping her uniform off, leaving her in the childish clothing.

"Good girl." Retsu said, "Well, our little detour took longer than expected; it's already time for lunch!"

From inside the basket, the woman pulled out multiple closed containers of food, setting them on the basket. Rice balls, green pepper maki, pickles, sesame noodles and even a few Japanese egg salad sandwiches, all food that Rukia enjoyed on some level, and much more of a meal than the applesauce and carrots and similar simple foods she had been fed recently.

While Unohana did not spare the bib, Rukia was allowed autonomy to feed herself, at least for the simple finger foods in the meal. The sesame noodles and green pepper maki strips were fed to her the same way that she had grown used to, though with chopsticks instead of a spoon. This resulted in a bit more of a mess on her bib than had been expected, though how much of it was purposeful by the one feeding her, she could not discern. Soon her half of the food was gone, a very satisfying meal that would have been nice even if she had not been without such a luxury as of late.

"All done?" Unohana asked.

"Yes, thanks…it was good." Rukia admitted.

"Good!" The Captain seemed genuinely pleased as she used the bib to wipe Rukia's face. "Here, have your bottle while I finish my meal."

Since there was no point in trying to deny her own thirst, Rukia took the bottle of apple juice and began to drink it down. The cool nectar felt nice with the warm sun beating down on her, so she did not mind it as much as she had wanted to. When the bottle was emptied, Rukia placed it on the sheet and waited for Retsu to finish the meal she had delayed to feed Rukia.

"Why don't you go play a bit? I brought some of your toys." She suggested, seeing the look of boredom on Rukia's face.

"Yay…" Came the sarcastic response.

"Do not be like that, dear. It is a beautiful day, enjoy it!" Unohana said as she pulled out a few toys from within the diaper bag.

They were smaller toys, naturally, as space was limited; a doll, a baby rattle and a ball. The doll seemed useless when she had the much preferred Chappy and the rattle held no interest whatsoever. She grabbed the blue rubber ball in both hands and gave it a bounce, satisfied with how high it bounced back up.

"Not on the blanket, dear." Retsu said, "But do not stray too far away from me, either."

With a nod, Rukia walked a bit away from the tarp and into the middle of the clearing. Idly bouncing the ball grew boring quickly, until Rukia got an idea. She threw the ball straight at the ground with all her strength, watching how high it bounced back up. She mentally counted how long it took to come back down and thought of ways to improve on that time. It took fifteen minutes of continual high bounces before a perfect idea came to mind. Once more she threw the ball down but then held her arm out as if aiming at it. Right before it hit its apex, she launched a high speed Hado spell directly at it. It was a concussive blast, perfectly aimed. The ball was shot up higher in the sky, a tiny blue speck against a light blue sky.

"Gotcha!" She boasted, proud of herself.

While her aim was enough to hit the ball, it had been just slightly off enough to cause the ball's parabolic arc to take it a bit away from where she had bounced it, falling against the ground some twenty meters away. She began waddling towards it, but stopped as she felt her diaper begin to grow warm once more. She tried to stop the flow, but she was too late and only managed to slow it down. She sighed at yet another lapse of control on her behalf and resumed her retrieval of the ball, her gait widened a bit more by the swollen padding.

Instead of the ball, however, she only found a heap of deflated rubber, a wide gash ripped through it. The ball seemingly tore either from the rough ground or the attack that she had used to launch it higher.

"Oh well, back to square one." She sighed.

"This is why you are supposed to play nice with your toys, honey." Retsu said, apparently standing right behind her, "Come on, I do not want you wandering too far away from the tarp." She held out her hand for Rukia, who reluctantly took it. The woman walked her back to their camp and surprised her by tugging at the snaps of her shortalls. Rukia knew what was going to be found, but said nothing as her diaper was checked.

"Mmm, as I thought." Unohana said as she stood back up.

Out came the changing mat once more, laid out on the ground next to the tarp. Rukia looked down at it and then back up to Retsu.

"O-out here…in the open?" She nervously questioned.

"Rukia, there is no other soul within miles of here." She began, "And even if there were, this is a large clearing; if they could see you, you would be able to see them. No one is going to see you."

"That's what you said about Isane…"

"…Fair enough." She admitted, "But you are overreacting. I have changed you an uncountable number of times in my home, in which there are any number of persons in closer proximity to you than possible right now."

"W-well, true, but…fine…" Rukia relented, unable to argue the logic. She was still a bit uncomfortable about it, but that was not going to stop her caretaker.

Despite her reservations, the change proceeded as normal, not a single other person to be found.

"There, all set." Unohana said as she helped Rukia back into her shortalls. "Now go play a bit more and then I think you need a short nap."

Not looking forward to that inevitability, Rukia trudged over to the two remaining toys and looked boredly at them. Retsu, seemingly noticing this problem, walked over to the girl.

"Hmm, perhaps we should play a game, then?" She suggested.

"A game? Like what?"

"How about hide and seek?" Retsu proposed, "I will close my eyes and count down from one hundred, while you hide and then I will seek you out."

"Hmm…sure!" Rukia replied, actually finding the idea interesting.

"Just make sure not to go too far from here, okay? Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready to win." Rukia smirked.

"Well, in that case, I will cover my ears as well, so I cannot hear what direction you waddle off in, crinkletush." The woman teased, a small laugh accompanying her words.

"H-hey!" Rukia shouted, not at all liking that new pet-name.

"Well go on now, hide!" Retsu urged, covering her ears and closing her eyes, "One hundred…ninety-nine…"

Wasting no time, Rukia dashed away as fast as her diaper allowed. Across one side of the clearing and into a place where the trees were densely packed together, she looked for a good place to hide.

"Perfect!"

She looked over her choice, a group of trees that were lying on their sides, seemingly knocked over by the wall of ice that had cascaded through this section weeks ago. She slid through an opening between two of the trunks and into the small alcove that created. It was not a large cavity, but with her lithe form, it was enough to not be constricting.

Now it was just a matter of time, waiting until the woman finished counting, began looking and, of course, eventually gave up due to her amazing hiding spot. She sat in her alcove in silence, not moving so much as an inch due to her crinkling outfit. Time seemed to pass slowly, every moment another where she was afraid she would be caught. Suddenly, the sounds of leaves rustling alerted her to a possible intruder to her spot, human or animal. Sure enough, a squirrel poked its head through one of the thin openings that Rukia had cloistered herself in and fittingly squirreled its way inside.

"Hey little guy." Rukia whispered at the small creature.

The squirrel glanced over at her for a moment before scurrying around the small alcove, presumably in search of food.

"Oh, I wonder where Rukia could be…"

Her eyes widened as she heard Retsu's voice not ten meters from the alcove, apparently alerted by the rustling the squirrel was making. She picked up a loose stick and began to prod the rodent's side gingerly. After a few prods, the animal seemingly found food to be too sparse to deal with the annoyance and darted out of the small area.

"Ah, just a squirrel. My mistake." She heard Unohana say, holding in her sigh of relief. "Hmm, these trees are a bit of a hazard, though. It would probably be best if I were to cut them to pieces."

Rukia's eyes widened in fear, afraid that she was about to be sliced to ribbons. Enough so that she quickly squeezed her way out through the opening and into the bright sunlight. Instead of a Captain ready to attack, Rukia saw the woman standing about three meters in front of her, her hands clasped together in front of her stomach under her sleeves, her sheathed zanpakuto completely untouched.

"Found you." Unohana said, smiling at her own gambit.

"…Hey! You tricked me!" Rukia shouted.

"Even if you had not fallen for that, I would have looked in there, anyway. You merely saved me the trouble."

"…It's still not fair…" Rukia mumbled.

"Come now, stop being a grumpybutt, and let us go back so you can start counting." To punctuate her words, the Captain gave her a pat on the padded behind.

"I'll make sure to find you faster than you found me!" Rukia exclaimed, sticking her tongue out to punctuate her own words.

"Heh, yes, well, we will see about that."

Once the two had reached the clearing, Rukia chose a spot and nodded at Retsu. She then closed her eyes, covered her ears and began to count down from one hundred.

"Three…two…one!" With the time complete, Rukia turned and began to think of a strategy to search for her hidden caretaker.

Instead, she was greeted with a sight that thoroughly confused and terrified her: Unohana was about fifteen meters away, enveloped in a golden pillar of energy, looking frustrated, while a mysterious, menacing figure stood near her.

"I believe what comes next…is Cero!" He snarled, holding up his palm.

Rukia could only stare in shock and fear as the golden beam of energy bore down on her.


	12. Chapter 12

Shock and fear spread through Rukia's veins, every cell in her body feeling like lead. Time seemed to slow down as the Cero sped towards her, golden energy radiating from the powerful beam. All her effort was concentrated on her legs, eventually allowing her to leap away from the oncoming energy just in time to avoid being incinerated by it. She landed a few meters away and looked over at her assailant.

It was clearly an Arrancar of some sort, a bipedal humanoid with the features of a Hollow. Its skin was black with a scaled texture that seemed more like carbon fiber than any reptile, a long thick tail coming from the base of its spine and sporting a scythe made of bone. Despite its black, scaly skin, its face was hidden by a white mask of bone, shaped like a dog's head, orange eyes glowing beneath their openings. It had a head of hair that went down past its shoulders like a headdress, alternating between gold and blue horizontal stripes. On its chest was another bony structure shaped like an ankh, with the creature's cylindrical Hollow hole in the opening of the loop.

"Rukia, run! Get as far away from here as possible!" Unohana shouted from within the pillar. Despite her status, she was not doing anything to try and break free, merely standing there worrying about Rukia.

It was something the petite Shinigami could not understand; Unohana was one of the strongest Shinigami in the Seireitei, yet she was not even trying to escape the encapsulation. Even if she were more worried about Rukia than her own safety, she would be able to do more to protect her if she escaped her pillar. Not that Rukia was unable to protect herself, but it seemed that Retsu did not want her to confront their attacker, at least.

The Shinigami reached for her zanpakuto instinctively but her hand met only the material of her shortalls. Her panic increased at the absence of her sword, but she quickly calmed herself down as she remembered that the blade was sitting in its sheath on the picnic tarp. A quick glance told her that it was about ten meters from her current location, at two o'clock relative to the Hollow at twelve.

"Yes, run…" The Arrancar snarled, "A pitiful Shinigami such as yourself would make naught but a small snack compared to the bountiful feast of this caged rat."

"Hado number seventy-three, Souren Soukatsui!" She shouted, anger growing as the monster claimed to want to hurt Unohana.

Blue energy welled up in two of her fingertips, pulsing as they hit full power. With the pushing of her palm, the energy burst forth in two beams of spiritual energy that combined into one for extra potency. However, instead of aiming at the Hollow, she instead aimed for the golden pillar, a bit above Retsu's head. Yet, her attack burst harmlessly against the pillar like a fly against a windshield.

"Rukia, it is no use." Retsu said, "None of your attacks can pierce this field…it is a Negación."

The Arrancar smiled as Unohana explained her prison. Rukia's eyes widened, now understanding the woman's lack of action. A Negación was a powerful technique unique to the Hollowkind, allowing them to generate barriers that were utterly impenetrable to any attack whatsoever. The pillars separated those inside from the dimension they were currently in, unaffected by any outside force. She had not seen one since Aizen and the other traitors made their departure from the Soul Society. Not even the Captain Commander himself bothered to attack the pillars at that time, it would have been just as useless as the Kido she just tried.

"A Negación?" He questioned, "You fool, it is [b]the[/b] Negación. The progenitor of all other Negación in the Hollows that came after!"

"No…but then, that would make you…"

"Nizhet." Both the Captain and the Hollow said the name at the same time.

"I see my reputation precedes me…" He said, fanged mouth twisted into a cruel smile.

"Rukia! Leave. Now!" Retsu intensely shouted at her.

Rukia's body nearly obeyed the terrifying woman on its own, but she managed to stay put. She would not just leave Unohana to the whims of this monster; they were far away from the Soul Society and even further from the Seireitei, so by the time she found other Shinigami strong enough to assist her and brought them back, Nizhet could have done any number of horrible things. Granted, Retsu was in a Negación, so Rukia was sure she was as safe from the beast as possible, but there was also a ceiling on this pillar that she did not remember being present on the ones Aizen used to escape, so for all she knew, the Captain only had a limited supply of air. Regardless, she was not going to take the chance and let the Arrancar have free reign.

"Who…who is Nizhet?" Rukia found herself asking.

"He was a powerful Hollow who used to wreak havoc through the Soul Society. I have never encountered him myself until today, but he was infamous for the bodies he would leave in his wake." Retsu began, "It was thought that the Captain Commander had defeated him in an intense battle three hundred years ago, but it seems we were mistaken…"

"That old bastard wounded me quite severely, but I managed to get away amidst the charred carnage your supposed hero left behind and go into a hibernative state." The Hollow explained, contempt dripping from his voice.

"But…how were you able to hide here without being detected?" Rukia asked, using her stalling questions to inch closer to her sword.

"You Shinigami are not as perceptive as you think…" He smirked.

"Rukia, do you not notice anything odd about his spiritual pressure?" Unohana asked.

Prompted by the question, Rukia tried to think about it, before a staunch realization struck.

"He…he doesn't have any…" She muttered, not fully believing it.

"I alone among the Hollows possess the ability to completely seal my own spiritual pressure." Nizhet snarled, still smirking.

"Not completely…" The Captain rebutted, "A couple of weeks ago, we detected an immense blip of spiritual pressure. No doubt your awakening from your hibernation."

"I suppose you Shinigami have improved in my absence…though certainly not enough."

Rukia was only a meter from the tarp at this point, inching closer and closer to her weapon.

"Don't underestimate us, Arrancar." Rukia said.

"Arrancar?" The Hollow questioned, "I am no Arrancar, you pitiful whelp."

That was not something Rukia expected to hear. While it was true that he seemed to be missing the zanpakuto—as well as having a complete Hollow mask instead of a broken fragment—he fit every other description of an Arrancar. He was bipedal, humanoid and average human height. Regular Hollows were large, hulking beasts, so if he was not an Arrancar, then what was he? Unless…

"I am Nizhet, the first and strongest of the Vasto Lorde!" He shouted, swinging his scythed tail at Rukia.

She did managed to dive out of the way, the pile of splinters that used to be the picnic basket not quite as lucky, but was unable to grab her zanpakuto. Most important, however, was the news that she had just received. Vasto Lorde were the final and strongest of the natural Hollow evolutionary states. They were incredibly rare and powerful; even Aizen's Espada, the ten Arrancar made of the strongest Hollows Aizen could find, only contained a couple made from a Vasto Lorde, both at the top of the ranks.

"Now that you know what you are up against, perhaps you should listen to your elder and flee this place. Your weakness bores me." Nizhet taunted.

Ignoring his words, Rukia quickly held up her hand. "Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six! Bakudo number sixty-one, Rikujoukourou!"

Six wide but paper-thin beams of light collided into Nizhet's midsection, pinning the Hollow in place. Wasting no time, the Shinigami ran towards his tail, leaping over it to grab her sheathed zanpakuto. Despite the fact that the Vasto Lorde was currently immobile, Rukia noticed a golden light wash over her as she realized that a Cero was headed her way. It was the only attack that he perform do while imprisoned by the binding spell and also one of the more powerful ones. She leapt away, giving herself a decent amount of distance between her and him. Whether his tail could extend or was longer than he had made it appear, it was still valuable information she would need to safely avoid his attacks. As if on cue, the Bakudo spell holding him at bay shattered from the sheer strength he possessed.

"If that was your best, Shinigami, then you are even more pathetic than I thought." The Hollow snarled.

Rukia once again ignored his taunting; she had her sword now so she could show him her true strength. She grabbed her sheath and tugged it off her sword, met with a sight she could not comprehend; her zanpakuto was covered in nicks, scratches, chips and even a bit of rust. It was as if it had been used for a hundred years without an ounce of repair or restoration made to it.

"Wh-what…but how…?" She muttered to herself, completely befuddled.

What could have possibly happened to her sword? She had last used it just days ago against the Hollow at the mall, yet here she was holding a battered sword. Zanpakuto were not supposed to retain damage like this, no matter how badly they were damaged in battle; all it took was a bit of time and they would be good as new. In fact, it was not even a matter of retaining damage in this instance, as her blade had not suffered damage like this to be retained. As confused and worried as she was, though, she had no time to contemplate this any more; a powerful enemy was close and willing to kill her.

"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!" She shouted her shikai's release phrase, holding up her sword.

Yet, nothing happened; her sword remained in the same shape, same state of disrepair. It might have grown slightly lighter in color, but it also might have just been her imagination. Her hilt remained free of the long ribbon that was supposed to grow from it in its shikai form, as well, leaving her dumbfounded. Her mind ran through any possible reason why her shikai would fail but nothing came to her. It was the worst possible time that this could happen, leaving her with naught but a damaged sword to fight off a Vasto Lorde.

"Come, Shinigami, show me your power…" Nizhet growled.

With a deep breath, Rukia gripped her sword and ran at the Hollow. Once she got close, she began swinging at him. However, her blows merely bounced off his flesh harmlessly; she might as well have been using a toothpick sword for all the good it was doing.

"Pathetic." He smirked, "My turn…"

The Hollow quickly slashed his clawed hands at Rukia, who had to jump backwards to avoid being sliced to ribbons. However, she was only fast enough to avoid the brunt of the attack, wincing as the dagger-like claws ripped through her left shortall strap and shirt, lacerating the skin beneath in three long gashes.

"If that is your best, you should save us both the trouble and let me skewer you." He mocked, licking the blood off his claws.

"Rukia, I am ordering you to run before you are severely injured!" Retsu shouted from her cell, "You cannot beat him alone!"

Perhaps that was true, but Rukia was not going to run away like a coward. If it were true, she was going to find out firsthand. She slid her damaged sword back into her sheath and began to focus her energy.

"Bakudo number seventy-nine, Kuyou Shibari!"

Around the Hollow, eight black points of energy appeared, growing in size and gaining a purple outline. Nizhet looked at them and prepared for an attack. Yet, they remained in place, as a ninth one suddenly grew in the space occupied by his chest. He grimaced a bit as the Bakudo immobilized him with much more force than the previous one.

"Foolish Shinigami…You know that I do not need to move…to use a Cero…" He managed to get out.

Golden energy began to well up in front of his chest, breaking through the edge of the black hole. Rukia, expecting this, held out her palm, gripping her wrist with the other hand.

"Hado number eighty-eight, Hiryuu Gekizoku Shinten Raihou!"

An enormous beam crackling with electricity burst from her palm, lighting the entire area in a light blue aura. It collided with the oncoming Cero, but ripped right through it as if it were just a beam from a flashlight. The bound Hollow could do nothing as the beam of spiritual energy struck him in a tremendous burst of energy.

Rukia was breathing heavily as the smoke began to clear; she had never used such a powerful Bakudo or Hado before, so using one right after the other was exhausting.

"For a moment there, I thought I would actually have some injuries from that. Disappointing…"

Rukia grimaced as the Hollow spoke, seemingly no worse for wear. Sure enough, as the dust cleared, he looked virtually untouched, no longer even bound by the Bakudo. Without wasting a moment, he swung his tail towards the petite Shinigami. Her reaction time was reduced due to how much energy the last attacks took out of her, but she managed to leap out of the way of the bony scythe. However, that just put her in the perfect place for his next attack; from the loop of his chest ankh, a barrage of Bala launched. They were fist sized bullets of energy, faster but weaker than a Cero beam. In the air, she had no way to dodge the bullets, like baseballs hitting across her body. The combined force of the energy bullets knocked her to the ground, pain emanating across her body.

She got to her feet slowly, her legs weak. One of the Bala had shattered the plastic buckle on her surviving shortall strap, causing the front to droop down from the lack of support. The slightly loose garment, now free of the straps holding it up, began to slide a bit down her legs. It was not all that far, but it was proving to be a distraction, and certainly would be a significant one if it fell any further, as movement would cause. As much as she wished that modesty was important at the moment, it was not. With a sigh, she quickly tugged the shortalls off to get them out of the way. Her face reddened for just a moment before the magnitude of the current situation came back to her.

"Rukia, if you do not leave here immediately, I will prolong your punishment until the sun dies out!" Unohana shouted, clearly looking worried for the struggling Shinigami.

"I can't leave you!" Rukia shouted back, unable to ignore her commands any longer, "You are too important to me to just leave you here!" The truth felt nice, even with the pain she was experiencing.

"I…thank you." Retsu responded, "But I do not want to see you get hurt anymore."

"Please, I've endured a spanking at your hands." Rukia said with a smirk, "Compared to that, this is nothing."

A small smile managed to break through Unohana's alarmed countenance for a moment. "Yes, well, just promise me you will be careful."

"Don't worry, I'll have you out of there soon." Rukia replied.

Despite her bravado, the battered Shinigami was not sure what she could do; her body was running on fumes, her zanpakuto might as well not even be her. Her strongest attack had not even scratched him and she had no further ideas to even attempt.

"Surely that is not all you have?" Nizhet mockingly questioned, "Weak attacks, a bizarre outfit and useless sentiments?"

Rukia had not even a moment to feel embarrassment at the comment about her outfit, as the Vasto Lorde launched another volley of Bala towards her. Her body was too sluggish at the moment to avoid this barrage, so she held out her hand and hoped for the best.

"B-Bakudo number…thirty-nine, Enkousen!"

Yellow energy emanated from her hand, spinning in a circular fashion around her. The Bala pellets bombarded the energy shield, each impact causing her to wince from the exertion it took to keep the shield active. With each strike, it became harder to hold it together, until the final energy bullet managed to break through the shield and hit her right in the ribcage.

"Gah!" She fell to her knees as she felt the bone crack, just short of breaking. "B-Bakudo number tw-twenty-seven, Jirenmaku."

From her location, smoke billowed out of the ground, forming the visage of a skull, just enough to obscure her. Nizhet quickly swung his tail at the smoke, but only served to disperse some of it, his target already gone.

"Hiding, Shinigami? Or perhaps running with your tail tucked between your legs?" Nizhet loudly asked as he looked around, "Either way, I'll tuck mine right between your eyes!"

From within the same alcove that she hid from Unohana, Rukia tried to slow her deep breathing. She had made some good distance between her and the Hollow, but if she was not careful, he would be able to detect her. Her ears searched for even the slightest of sounds, anything that could tell her how he was moving and if he was coming close. She could hear the rustling of grass, the crunching of leaves and, suddenly, the rending of wood into splinters as Nizhet destroyed a tree just meters from where she was.

"You are lucky my senses are still dulled from my hibernation, foolish girl, or you'd be dead by now." He snarled.

It had been a desperate gambit by someone running out of options, but by some stroke of luck, it was working. He was getting closer to her hiding spot, dangerously so, but it had bought her some time, at the very least.

Suddenly, the sounds went quiet, nothing but the slight breeze and her own beating heart. She held her breath, waiting for any sign. However, all she felt was the warmth of her currently swelling diaper, her bladder releasing on its own. It annoyed her that she once again had a lapse of control, but having her diaper grow damp would at least mute the crinkle of her every motion.

As if on instinct, she rolled as far to the side as she could in the small alcove, holding in a yelp as the Hollow's tail sliced through the tree trunks making up her hiding spot, just missing her by inches. Wasting no time, Rukia rolled to the other side, still not fast enough to avoid getting nicked as the scythed tail tore through where she just was. The fallen trees creaked and groaned as the weight shifted, the separated pieces slowly succumbing to gravity around Rukia.

Nizhet pulled his tail back, looking over the trees he just sliced through. He turned to move to another area, before he noticed a tiny spot of red along the blade. With a fanged smirk, he turned back towards the alcove and gathered his energy. The tree trunks exploded in a thunderous shower of splinters as the Cero collided with it. Amongst the rubble, Nizhet noticed a scrap of cloth he recognized from the Shinigami's colorful top.

"You should be proud, Shinigami." He taunted, "I have killed much stronger of your kind while using much less stamina. Killing you almost came close to slightly tiring me out."

"Hado number seventy-seven, Kouatsu Tsuzuri Raiden!" Rukia shouted from above, noticeably missing the sleeve of her shirt.

The element of surprise allowed her the opportunity to plunge her sword through the gap in his mask where his left eye was, just as her blade crackled with powerful electricity from her Hado spell. Nizhet had been caught by surprise and unable to protect against the attack, yelling in pain as the electricity wracked every nerve in his body.

However, despite her seemingly successful attack, Rukia was even more worried than she had been before. She had plunged her blade directly into his eye, and yet all the damage she had caused was from the electricity of her sword passing through his eye; the metal of her blade had not even been able to pierce the jelly of his eyeball. It was either a testament to how strong he was or how weak her zanpakuto had mysteriously become, or perhaps both. Either way, any confidence built up from outsmarting the Hollow faded as it came, leaving her with even less hope than she had before.

Still though, Rukia held her position, continuing to pour electricity into the foe's body. He writhed, both from the pain and to try and get her off, but she held on tight. That is, until he managed to use his tail to wrap around her body. He was in too much pain to try and slice her with the scythe, but he could muster enough dexterity to wrap it around her. With a quick motion, he swung his tail, pulling the Shinigami and, most importantly, her sword off of him and throwing her against the ground.

"A lucky shot, Shinigami." He snarled, righting his posture, "An opportunity you will not get again."

Rukia got back to her feet, nearly having to use her sword as a crutch to support herself. With no further ideas and even less spiritual energy at her disposal, Rukia fell back onto one last desperate cause of action: she held out her sword and willed her legs to run towards him. It was doomed to fail, but there was no other option she had.

She did not even reach Nizhet himself before the scythe on his tail blocked her path. She tried to swing her sword to knock the bony appendage out of her way, but that turned out to be a fatal mistake. When the blade of the scythe met the blade of her zanpakuto, bone won against steel, cleaving the sword near the hilt. Rukia's eyes widened as her once-faithful sword broke, her very last, desperate hope of surviving this encounter.

"That's game, Shinigami." He calmly stated, clenching his fists.

Rukia's body betrayed her as she stood, not a single muscle moving as the Hollow rushed towards her. His fist painfully crashed into her gut, breaking the rib that had merely cracked before, along with a few others. The force rocketed her body away from the scene and through the air, her hand somehow still gripping the hilt of her broken sword.

Her back joined the chorus of pain as it impacted with a solid object, the cold moisture telling her it was one of her ice pillars. Her body slid out of the crevice it had formed and slid down the pillar to the snowy ground below. The world around her began to grow dark, consciousness beginning to fade. The last thing she saw as she passed out was he silhouette of a person, feeling the touch of oddly cool hands against her skin.


	13. Chapter 13

A white void was all Rukia could see when she next opened her eyes. Was this what souls experienced after they died, a white expanse of nothingness? Realizing that she was lying down, the Shinigami sat up and realized the truth; she was not in a void, it was just the cloudy sky she had been looking up at. She was currently surrounded by snowy trees, yet this was not the forest she had just been in. These trees were tall and densely packed, like one would expect from a real forest in a winter climate. The snow itself was natural, as well, or it would be, if not for one issue Rukia noticed with it; the snow was falling up! Instead of the snowflakes falling from the sky, they were floating off the ground and into the clouds. This impossible behavior left patches on the ground and in the trees where there was no snow.

Also odd was her outfit, as she was once again wearing her Shihakusho, though certainly with a diaper beneath it, feeling the same condition as it had been before she woke up in this mysterious place.

It certainly was not a dream she was experiencing; it was far too vivid and real feeling to be a dream. She had had enough of those recently to be able to tell the difference. What, then, could it possibly be? If it was real, then she had no idea how it was possible or where she was.

"Rukia…" A voice suddenly spoke through the trees. It was foreign and familiar at the same time, but unrecognized. "Rukia…follow the sound of my voice…" The mysterious entity spoke once more.

It seemed to be her only chance to find some answers, so the confused Shinigami listened for the voice and headed in its direction.

"This way, Rukia…" The voice kept speaking up to guide her.

However, the voice's location seemed illogically spastic, with every quick turn in the forest, it changed direction to somewhere else, even seeming to fade to a quiet volume. She was forced to begin to run, as fast as she could to keep up with the voice's ever-changing direction. Left, right, through trees thick and thin, the forest growing darker around her as the canopy became so thick it obscured whatever sunlight broke through the thick clouds.

"Rukia…this way…follow…voice…" It was growing ever more quiet, as if she was going the wrong way.

Eventually, it happened, Rukia turned a corner and nearly tripped on an exposed root. She managed to catch herself, but in doing so, she had gotten so turned around as to not know which way the voice had been. She listened intensely for any new utterances from her guiding stranger, but was given only silence, as if she had lost the voice entirely. She dashed left and right through the trees, hoping by some miracle she could reach a location to hear the entity once more. Yet, there was not even a whisper upon her ears, leaving her alone in the dense forest. The trees were tall enough here than she was cast in darkness as if it were a moonless night.

She felt alone…and scared. She knew it was ridiculous, but she could not help but feel scared alone here in the middle of the forest. Despite her efforts, tears welled up in her eyes as fear overtook her. Her thumb even slid into her mouth for some comfort, sucking gently on the digit.

She continued to look around the area until she saw the one thing that made her doubt the reality of this place; Hisana standing among the trees. The voice she had been hearing before had not been Hisana's, or, at least, it was not the voice that her brain had ascribed to her sister in her dreams. She was abandoned at far too young an age to remember Hisana's actual voice. Her sister looked at her with a smile on her face before turning and moving deeper among the trees.

"Wait!" Rukia shouted at the visage of her sister.

Despite all the dreams she had experienced with this event, Rukia still ran after Hisana. Unlike her dreams, however, she remained her normal age as she chased the woman. No matter how fast she ran, Hisana stayed ahead of her, her body moving as if she was casually walking. Through the trees Rukia ran, darting left and right and all around as Hisana made quick turns ahead of her.

However, Rukia found herself going in illogical directions, lefts and then rights that should have been leading her in circles. Yet, the trees continued to somehow look distinct at every turn. Sure enough, after her sister's running turned her around in what should have been the direction she had came from, she found the trees mysteriously thinning out. This caused her to up her pace, watching as light was able to break through the canopy once more. Eventually, the trees thinned to the point of non-existence, a large, snowy clearing at the edge of the forest. In the center was a humble log cabin, snow lifting from the ceiling and into the sky. Hisana, however, was nowhere to be found, gone as mysteriously and quickly as she had first appeared.

"Hello?" Rukia asked, hoping for the voice or her sister to speak to her.

Silence was her only answer, so she headed for the cabin, listening for any signs of activity inside. Hearing nothing, she opened the door and stepped inside. In stark contrast to the small, humble cabin it was on the outside, the inside was quite large, though retaining the aesthetic of the log cabin.

"Maybe I really am dreaming…" Rukia muttered to herself.

"No, my little snowflake, you are not." Said a voice at the side of the room.

Rukia turned to look, but knew who it was from the moment she was called "little snowflake". It was the oft-used petname given to her by the spirit of her zanpakuto, who shared a name with her Shikai.

"Sode no Shirayuki…" Rukia said.

It made a lot of sense once Rukia thought about it. The odd place that she found herself was the inner world that all zanpakuto possessed when matched with a suitable Shinigami and in which the true form the spirit of the sword lived. The other times that she had come into her inner world, were other various snowy locations, a small village, an empty tundra, even the middle of a glacier. This was just another wintery location crafted by both her own soul and her zanpakuto spirit. However, the snow falling upward was not part of her previous visits; that was new, strange and unexplained.

"I am surprised that you remember me, my little snowflake…" The spirit said as she stepped out of the shadow in the corner.

Rukia's eyes widened in shock at the sight of her spirit; she looked different in the worst way possible. She was normally a beautiful looking woman, pale lavender hair that contained a large bun in the back and also flowed down past her shoulders, pale yet lovely skin, icy blue eyes and a white kimono with a yellowish green obi and a large pale purple bow. The woman in front of her, however, was emaciated, like a mortal that had not eaten in weeks. Her naturally white skin on her gaunt frame gave the appearance of a skeleton, terrifying and worrying. While her skin and hair color, as well as her outfit, matched the spirit that she knew, the striking difference of the once most beautiful zanpakuto spirit made her seem like an entirely different person.

"Sode no Shirayuki…what happened to you?" Rukia asked, finally allowing her thumb to remove itself from her lips.

"You did…" The spirit ominously replied.

"Wh-what!? I didn't-"

"Your neglect has caused me much grief, my little snowflake…" She replied, "You exerted yourself while using my power until the point of collapse, despite my pleas for you to stop."

"But I didn't hear anything from you then…" The Shinigami argued.

"That is precisely the problem." Sode no Shirayuki replied, "You shut my voice off to you and allowed me to wither.

"No! I would never do that…" Rukia responded.

"Maybe not consciously…" The spirit explained, "But I have been trying to contact you since that day, yet have been unable to get through to you. Even the times in which you did not wield my sealed form, I called out to you desperately."

"I-I…" Rukia was at a loss; she had not heard a peep from her spirit until she led her through the forest, yet here she was claiming to have been calling for her.

"And so I lingered at the periphery of your spiritual awareness, desperate pleas falling on deaf ears." She continued, "Until a few days ago…"

"What…happened a few days ago?"

"You used me in a way that should have been easiest to contact you; in combat against a Hollow."

Rukia remembered it well, a Hollow attacked the mall where she and Orihime were. She had disposed of it quite quickly, but with a Hado spell, since her zanpakuto had bounced harmlessly off its skin.

"It was not the beast's defense that was the issue…" The spirit sadly said, as if knowing Rukia's thoughts. "Your lack of response weakened me, weakened our bond, making me as blunt as the weakest of training swords."

"I…didn't know. I thought…" Rukia muttered quietly.

"When my voice could not even reach you then, I spiraled in despair until I reached the withered, weakened state you saw when you unsheathed me and see before you now." Sode no Shirayuki explained, "So yes, my little snowflake, you are the cause of this, regardless of your intent."

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't want to! I wasn't aware!" Rukia pleaded.

"I am not looking for your excuses." The emaciated spirit rebutted, "I am looking for an apology of true regret, one that comes from understanding your wrongdoing, not one just for the sake of getting my forgiveness. I want to see that you truly know what you did wrong and are willing to accept any punishment to atone."

"I am sorry!" Rukia exclaimed, nearly tearing up. "I truly am!"

"Because…" The spirit led.

"Because…" Rukia began, images of her many with Sode no Shirayuki by her side flashing through her mind, "…because you are my weapon and I am your wielder. You chose me and I chose you; we chose each other. We agreed to be partners, to embrace a bond that would imbue strength to each other. Because I broke that bond by endangering myself for selfish reasons, and overusing your abilities in doing so. Because I then ignored your attempts to help, even though it was unconsciously. I harmed myself to the point of shutting out the spirit that shares the innards of my soul. I know my apology only goes so far, so I will accept any punishment you choose to dole out."

For the first time since Rukia had arrived, a smile broke on the face of the weakened spirit. "Do not be foolish, my little snowflake. The apology was by far the most important part." She explained, "Without the apology, the punishment would serve no purpose. This punishment is just to…impart the message in a more memorable way."

Before Rukia even had a chance to ask, the woman quickly waved her hand through the air. The chill was felt immediately as her Shihakusho vanished, leaving the Shinigami in just her used diaper. Rukia blushed a bit, fidgeting nervously as her spirit saw the padding. Wasting no time, Sode no Shirayuki bent down and patted the front of the crinkling garment. Instead of using her tremendous influence of the realm once more, the spirit used her own hands to undo each of the diaper tapes, the garment falling to the floor and then vanishing into nothingness. The Shinigami blushed deeper and used her hands and arms to try to cover her nudity.

"My little snowflake, I am part of your soul, there is no need to be embarrassed about baring yourself in my presence." The spirit said with a gentle smile.

Rukia knew she was right, it was no different than seeing herself naked in front of a mirror. Yet, her hands moved away slowly, face unable to fully exorcise its blush. Despite her lack of covering, it was not frigid in the cabin. It was cool, certainly, but comfortably so.

Outside, the wind began to whip around the forest, the snow now on an altered trajectory, going everywhere but back up into the sky.

"Come, dear." Sode no Shirayuki beckoned, her frail frame walking to a simple wooden chair across the room.

Wanting to atone for her misdeeds, Rukia did not hesitate to follow the woman to the chair. Sode no Shirayuki sat down in the chair and gestured for Rukia to get closer.

"For your punishment, I thought it would be fitting to incorporate an aspect of what Retsu Unohana has subjected you to." The spirit calmly said.

"Um…o-okay." Rukia said, her nerves starting to get to her.

With no further warning, the spirit lifted Rukia off of her feet and onto her lap. The nude girl's breath shortened as she had an assumption of what was going to happen to her. Sure enough, the spirit flipped her over so her behind was in the air, splayed over her lap.

"I do not wish to harm you, my little snowflake, but pain is unavoidable." Sode no Shirayuki said almost regretfully.

"I-I know…" Rukia replied, no less worried for the imminent.

It only took one slap to cause the Shinigami to cry out in pain. Despite the woman's withered husk of a body, her strength was formidable. Perhaps similarly to Unohana, but the Captain held back much more when spanking Rukia than her spirit currently was.

The next strike came quickly, causing a shout of pain from the Shinigami, as well as a few tears. It was the third that caused the tears to fall freely as the bawling began.

Still the blows continued, each more painful on the Shinigami's behind than the one that came before it. While Rukia was in no position to notice anything during her spanking, the one delivering the strikes was changing, gaining muscle and body mass back little by little with each blow. The woman's frigid skin paradoxically left a feeling of burning as the palm struck the ever-reddening behind. Soon, the spirit looked as Rukia would remember her, the most beautiful zanpakuto and zanpakuto spirit among all Shinigami. Despite her healed form, the spirit added a few extra spanks upon the girl's backside before considering the punishment over.

"Ssshh…it's okay, it's all over now." The spirit spoke softly, trying to soothe her bawling wielder.

To help ease the pain, Sode no Shirayuki gently placed her frigid hand on the girl's lower cheeks like an ice pack. Rukia was too busy crying to let her know that it did help, but the spirit seemed to be able to tell. Very carefully, the woman lifted Rukia into her arms, moving her soothing hand off her backside so as to not support all of the girl's weight upon it.

"I am sorry I had to do that, my little snowflake, but it is over now." She assured, standing up from the chair.

Careful not to jostle her too much, the spirit carried Rukia to a large, padded table that did not exist moments ago. Rukia's bawling had lessened to mere crying with sporadic sobs by this time, wincing as her bottom contacted the soft cushioning of the table.

At that moment, Rukia did not at all care about what was happening to her, the implications of the table or anything, merely focused on the burning flesh of her bottom and her crying. Sode no Shirayuki looked almost regretful as she materialized a wet wipe in her hand and used it to clean the nude Shinigami's womanhood. Rukia fidgeted unintentionally a bit at this, the woman's chilly skin making the wipe feel colder than normal.

Eventually, the wipe vanished from the woman's hand and was replaced with a canister of baby powder. She sprinkled it like snow over her wielder's thighs, privates and behind, eliciting a pained yelp and whimper as she rubbed it on the inflamed area.

Next came the diaper, which Rukia could not help but anticipate. The padding would be like a pillow to her aching backside, a desperately needed bit of relief now that the woman's ice-like flesh was no longer resting on it. Sure enough, the spirit materialized a diaper in her hands and began to slide it under the girl. Gingerly, she lowered the reddened flesh onto it and taped it in place snugly. Immediately, Rukia noticed how much thicker it was than even the ludicrous bunny-print diapers that Retsu used; she would be completely unable to close her legs together in these. As well, the front was decorated in snowflake designs, much like the shortalls her actual body had been wearing earlier.

While the padding was cushioning her bottom instead of irritating it, it was not enough to stop the Shinigami from sobbing and dropping tears down her face. The spanking had been much more painful than the one she had endured at the beginning of the punishment laid out by Unohana, though certainly less embarrassing.

"Sshhh…come now, no more tears." The spirit insisted, lifting the freshly padded girl into her arms.

To help soothe the crying Shinigami, Sode no Shirayuki began to rock her back and forth gently, lightly shushing her. Rukia hated to admit it, but it seemed to be working. For whatever reason, she found her sobs reduce to sniffles and then further down to nothingness. It was almost as if it felt…right to be held like this. So comfortable was she that she barely heard her spirit next speak.

"There we go…now we can see that pretty face once more." The woman cooed, wiping the remaining tears off the girl's face with her sleeve.

Despite her crying being done, Rukia was still rocked gently in her spirit's arms, not even realizing that she had slipped her thumb between her lips once again. The cares and worries that had been wracking her brain seemed to drift to the side, replaced with comfort and pleasantness.

"Now then, we need to have a little discussion." The spirit said, wresting Rukia from her blissful state.

She tensed up as she realized that the woman was carrying her back to the chair, her fears and worries coming back in full force.

"No need to worry, you will not be receiving another punishment." Sode no Shirayuki assured her.

The spirit sat down on the chair and positioned Rukia to sit on her lap, sideways. The girl winced as her sore behind supported her weight, first time since being held that her behind bothered her. It was still quite sore, but she was so comfortable in the woman's arms that she had been able to ignore it completely.

"Rukia, who is your mother?" The spirit suddenly asked.

"My mother?" Rukia pulled her thumb from her mouth in order to reply, confused and blindsided.

"Yes, my little snowflake, who is she?" She repeated.

"Well…I dunno, actually." Rukia answered, "I died as a mortal when I was a baby, so I can't really answer that."

"I see." The spirit responded, as if she did not already know. "Well, in that case, how about your sister? You came to the afterlife with her, right?"

"Yes, but…she abandoned me soon after…" Rukia sadly muttered, more and more curious why the spirit wanted her to explain things she already knew.

"And do you resent her for that?" The spirit asked.

Rukia paused and thought about it a bit before giving her answer. "…No, I don't. She was young when it happened, and, like almost all of the departed, had no memory of her mortal life. To her, in those circumstances, I was not her sister, I was just a burden in a situation that was already tough enough. Besides, Brother told me that she spent the rest of her afterlife in despair from that decision. It's because of her that Brother adopted me into the Kuchiki noble family."

"Then how about after she left you in the Rukongai? Was there a specific resident that raised you?"

"Umm, no, not really. I guess I got a little help from various people, but until the potential to be a Shinigami develops, souls don't need to eat or anything, so I mostly just fended for myself."

"Now, I'll ask you again, who is your mother?" The spirit repeated once more.

"Wh-what!? But I just told you-"

"Everyone has some form of mother figure, my little snowflake, even if they do not find them until adulthood." The woman explained, "A person you idolize, who is willing to take care of you, be there for you when needed most and needed less. With that in mind, who is your mother?"

"…You?" Rukia asked, after a pause.

Sode no Shirayuki sighed, "Rukia, I am not looking for the answer you think I want to hear, I want the truth. You know the answer to this somewhere in your heart. It's just a matter of you admitting it. So I'll ask one last time, who is your mother?"

Rukia was about to argue that she did not know what her spirit wanted her to say, but suddenly the answer came to her. It was so obvious, yet she blocked herself from thinking about it due to some foolish sense of pride. "Retsu Unohana." She plainly responded, knowing the answer was as true and obvious as two plus two being four.

A smile broke out on the woman's face as Rukia answered. "Very good, my little snowflake. But I still sense doubt of a different form in you."

Rukia did not consciously notice it herself until Sode no Shirayuki pointed it out, but it was quite troubling once she thought about it. "W-well…it's not like she feels the same way. This is just her idea of punishment for me."

"Do not be so sure of that, dear." The spirit assured, "It may have started out that way, but things change."

"You think so?"

"She may be one of the strongest women that you know, both physically and emotionally, but she is not a statue, dear." The woman said, "She has desires and feelings and regrets, built up over the many centuries of her afterlife. Do you think that she has never thought about having a child with the way that she is so good at treating you as one?"

"How can you be so sure?" Rukia questioned.

"I suppose I cannot be, but you just have to take the risk and talk to her."

"And then she'll rebuff me, think I'm weird and change my punishment to something worse once she thinks I like being cared for by her."

"Rukia, I can promise you that that will not happen." The spirit responded, "I have seen it through your eyes and experiences: the way she dotes on you, cares for you, looks at you. She sees you as a daughter in one way or another."

"But you just said you couldn't be sure…"

"Yes, as you are the one she views as a daughter, only you can be sure." Sode no Shirayuki explained, "I can only give you the data I can take from your experiences."

"I-I guess it couldn't hurt to talk to her…" Rukia admitted.

"Good girl, that's what I wanted to hear." The spirit smiled, as she gave the girl a kiss on her forehead, "Now you're almost ready to go back out there and be a big girl and protect you and your mother."

"Almost? What else do I have to do?"

"Well, I got my strength back, so it's time for you to get yours." She responded, clutching the top of her robe.

Without giving Rukia a chance to ask how that was going to happening, the spirit tugged her kimono down her body, the loose-fitting robe easily sliding down and exposing her sizable chest. Rukia was baffled, unsure of why that had just happened, unable to look away. She was also a bit glad to have an answer to a question she had been mulling for decades. Her zanpakuto spirit always wore that kimono so Rukia had never known if her bust size was similar to her own or more significant, and now the answer was quite literally staring her right in the face. She could not help but be envious at the buxom figure her spirit had been hiding under a loose-fitting robe.

"Wh-what are you-"

Rukia's attempt at asking why her spirit had bared her chest was suddenly interrupted as the woman moved while shifting Rukia on her lap, causing her exposed nipple to shift right into Rukia's mouth. Her eyes widened in bewilderment, but her mouth moved instinctively, suckling as it would on her thumb or a bottle. Sure enough, like with the bottle, she was rewarded with a mouthful of milk. It was delicious, sweet milk, chilled to perfection by the icy spirit's body. Despite all the qualms she felt she should have at being breastfed, Rukia simply indulged in the delicious milk and soft pillow for her head, finding it much better than any bottle she had ever had.

She had no idea how long she had been feeding by the time the woman gently pulled her away from the bosom, but she was sure that she had drank much more milk than one breast should have held. She shifted in place on the woman's lap, realizing that she had messed her diaper sometime during the feeding, and perhaps wet it too; it was hard to tell with how thick this diaper was, however. One glance at the front confirmed it for her, showing her once shimmering snowflake pattern faded away. For some reason she did not mind finding her diaper in this state. Her mess was by no means comfortable, but without her pride and ego influencing her, it was not enough to bring her to tears.

"There we go, my little snowflake, you're all set to go back and defend yourself." The spirit said, adjusting her robe back into place.

"My diaper needs to be changed." Rukia said, without a hint of embarrassment or reluctance.

"Hmm? Oh my, it certainly does." Sode no Shirayuki responded, patting the back of the soiled padding. "I suppose I can change you before I send you back. Let's go, stinkbug."

The Shinigami was lifted and carried over to the changing table, completely calm and relaxed as her diaper was changed. She only reacted when her behind was contacted, wincing a bit from the sore flesh. Her meal had done a good job of distracting her from any pain she had, but the contact and pressure did just as good a job of reminding her.

"There, my little snowflake, you're all set. Try to keep this one clean until you leave." The spirit said with an ironically warm smile.

"I'll try." Came the response, a coy smile on her face.

"Good, are you ready?"

"Umm, actually…I have a question…" Rukia admitted, taking a risk in starting up this conversation.

"Oh? And what is that, my little snowflake?" The spirit questioned.

"Umm…back in the forest, when I lost your voice…why did you choose to have a image of Hisana lead the way instead of you, healthy or no?" The Shinigami asked.

"Hisana? Dear, whatever are you talking about?" Sode no Shirayuki asked, "I was too weak to do more than project my voice for you to hear. I was afraid I had lost you until you managed to stumble your way to the right place."

"…Oh, umm, never mind then…" Rukia replied, "I must have been imagining things…"

"Yes, well, it's about time you get back out there." The spirit said, helping Rukia off the table and back onto her feet. "Go do your best, I know you're capable of winning."

"Right!" Rukia emphatically agreed.

"And once that is taken care of, I want you to remember to speak to Retsu Unohana about your feelings."

"R-right…" Rukia much less emphatically replied.

"Hmm, tell you what…" The spirit began, sensing her wielder's reluctance. "If, on the very, very off chance that I am wrong about the way she sees you, all you have to do is call on me and I will bring you back to this place and be as much of a mother to you as you ask of me. Is it a deal?"

"…Deal." Rukia said, thinking it was over. "But I hope-no, I know that it won't be necessary."

"That's what I wanted to hear." Sode no Shirayuki said, opening the door to the cabin, "Now go and make that happen."

The wind outside had picked up further, snow billowing in every direction except up back in the sky. The patches of ground had already been covered back up by the rapidly falling snow, but the blizzard showed no signs of stopping. Rukia stepped out into the storm, feeling comfortable despite only wearing a thick diaper out in the cold. She turned to look back towards her spirit, giving her a smile.

"Go Rukia, go out there and do what needs to be done." The woman said, "Do it for Hisana, so that her spirit may rest peacefully. Do it for the human girl whom you adore so much. Do it for me, the one whom has watched over you and protected you for decades. Do it for Retsu Unohana, the mother you have needed and wanted since you were born. But most importantly, do it for yourself. Do it for your happiness. Do it for your future, that you may experience the joys of being with those you love for as long as possible."

Rukia kept walking away from the cabin as Sode no Shirayuki spoke to her, her voice still clear and audible despite the growing distance and howling winds.

"Thank you, Sode no Shirayuki." Rukia said, turning back to look once more.

However, she had walked too far and the storm had grown too strong. All that she could see around her was white. Soon, even the torrential blizzard faded away leaving her in a white void, one that darkened as she was freed from the confines of her inner world.


	14. Chapter 14

Out of body experiences were always strange; whether it was a simple dream or something much more grand. There was always confusion as to how much time had passed, readjusting to the actualities of one's body, as well as some lingering doubt that one's own body was truly real. The same was true for Rukia as her eyes fluttered open. The battlefield was just as she remembered it, and the pain told her that she was not dreaming.

Steadily, she got back to her feet, broken sword in hand. She was not without pain, her body was wracked with it, in fact, but she was too determined to let it so much as slow her down. A couple broken ribs, pain in every joint, a few gashes, even lingering soreness on her behind, though whether that was from her impact with the column of ice or some sort of psychosomatic pain from the spanking her psychological inner projection had received, she did not know.

Much as she had expected, despite the occurrences in her inner world, Rukia was still wearing the same clothes she had been before losing consciousness: a blood-stained, torn shirt missing a sleeve and the bunny-print diaper that was a bit less thick than the ones her zanpakuto spirit had changed her into. Despite her attempt to not care, she could not help but notice that her padding was soggier than it had been before, though it was possible that her absorbent garment has just soaked up some condensation from the pillar of ice, instead of her having voided her bladder. Either way, she would not let it concern her, she had much more important things to deal with.

"Back on your feet already?" The Hollow mocked, having sped to the location he had launched her. "I thought for sure I had knocked the life out of you…"

"Oh, don't worry, you're not that strong." Rukia snarkily lied.

"Even so, what do you expect to do with a broken sword and a broken body?" Nizhet scoffed, "You are as helpless as an infant at the moment."

"Do not be so sure of that!" Rukia shouted as she ran at the beast, "Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!"

Time seemed to slow as Rukia ran, her body moving as if it was not battered, as if there was no wracking pain, as if her legs were not spread by a bulky object. She swung her broken sword at the Hollow, a sword that was quickly turning white and regrowing a blade as it arced through the air. By the time it had hit the beast in the side, it had fully transformed into its shikai state. It was a brilliant white blade, with an elliptical handguard and possessing a long, white ribbon attached to the pommel.

However, despite the blade's renewed luster, it had the same result against his scaled flesh as when it was dulled and rusty. Rukia could tell it had regained its sharpness, perhaps to an even higher degree than normal, but the Hollow's skin was just too strong.

"A nice trick, but usele-"

"First Dance - Tsukishiro!" Rukia suddenly shouted.

Before Nizhet had a chance to figure out what was happening, a circle of light began to glow on the ground below the two. Just as suddenly, Rukia leapt back away from him as a pillar of light projected from the area of the circle, quickly freezing into a large pillar of ice around the Vasto Lorde, trapping him within.

Unfortunately, Rukia did not even have the chance to celebrate a successful attack before the entire pillar began to tremble, exploding just moments later into a shower of ice flecks.

"Almost impressive, Shinigami." Nizhet remarked, stretching a bit, "Almost…"

Suddenly, the Hollow sped towards the Shinigami, claws bared and ready to shed blood. He was not at all a speedster for someone of his strength caliber, but that caliber was enough for his speed to still be significant for even a Shinigami as strong as Rukia.

"Second Dance - Hakuren!" She tipped the ground in front of her with her sword a few times, four points of frigid energy beginning to build.

An avalanche of glacially cold air poured forth in front of her, spreading across the ground and flash freezing everything in its path. When the cold mist cleared, Rukia sighed as she saw the ice encrusted, dagger-like claws just centimeters away from creating multiple new holes in her face. Assuming she had little time, Rukia leapt backwards and held out her arm.

"Bakudo number sixty-three, Sajou Sabaku!"

The sound of shattering ice spread through the area, but it was too late, the Hollow was already entangled in the thick tendrils of yellow energy. Despite his thrashing, the Bakudo spell was able to hold him, designed to bend but not break.

"First Dance – Tsukishiro!" Rukia shouted, swinging her zanpakuto in front of her.

A circle of white light began to glow once more, not on the ground below the Hollow, as one would expect, but in the air above.

"To concentrate her spiritual energy perfectly in a circle, with no support from the ground…impressive." Retsu said to herself within her cage.

Ice coalesced in the air in a tall pillar, at least five meters wide, before falling to the earth right above the pinned Vasto Lorde. The tremendous impact sent tremors throughout the area, cracking many of the still standing columns of ice.

Rukia took deep breaths as she surveyed the damage her previous attack had caused. It had taken much more effort than usual to summon a column off the ground and her second wind was starting to take its toll. The silence worried her more than it relieved her, not at all sure that her attack was enough to completely end him.

Sure enough, not twenty seconds later, the column of ice began to shimmer with a golden glow before exploding into a myriad of pieces. The steam rising from the Hollow getting to his feet, as well as the golden glow, suggested he had used a Cero to shatter the solid ice.

"Pathetic Shinigami, have you not yet learned that your weak attacks cannot pierce my flesh?" Despite his words, Nizhet seemed to have been frazzled by the attack, his hands curled into tight, trembling fists. However, he was correct about his skin, showing no signs of any external wounds, regardless of the pain caused.

"That…may be. In that case, I will have to adjust my plan of attack…" The Shinigami muttered, more to convince herself than the Hollow.

Easier said than done, however, as ideas were scarce in her mind. Her body could only take so much more, as well, putting her in a bad spot. Her thoughts were interrupted as she was forced to dodge the bladed tail as it was swung at her. It just reminded her that her bloodthirsty opponent was not going to wait around until she thought of something.

Thankfully, more time was not necessary, as an idea managed to come to mind. It was risky and would require some help from the Hollow himself, but it was all she had at the moment.

"Well in that case, I guess I'll have to run away!" Rukia shouted as she began to speed away from the Hollow.

Not looking to lose his meal, Nizhet sped after her. Rukia surveyed the area as she ran, looking for the perfect spot to enact her plan. A smirk appeared on her face as she found the area she needed. The Shinigami suddenly leapt straight up in the air, holding her sword out in front of her, as if preparing an attack. Just as she planned, the Hollow lunged up after her, claws bared.

"Foolish Hollow…First Dance – Tsukishiro!" Rukia smirked as she flash-stepped out of the way.

Another ice column generated around the Vasto Lorde, this one slanted at about sixty degrees off the ground. Before the Hollow had a chance to escape again, a second pillar coalesced at the same angle, but from another location. Instead of breaking one another, the spiritual properties of the ice mocked the mortal laws of physics, the overlapping portion of ice combining and becoming twice as durable and compact. Not wasting any time, another slanted ice column generated, and then another, their bases in a circle around the Hollow until six in total existed, overlapping in the location that contained Nizhet. The seventh and final pillar was completely vertical, appearing right where the Hollow was.

"Bakudo number nine, Hourin!"

Orange tendrils of energy wrapped around the overlapping section of ice, further pinning the Hollow inside. It was not the strongest of Bakudo spells, but Rukia was not sure she could successfully use a stronger spell, so did not want to take the risk. Seconds passed, but Rukia felt not a single tremor in the ice. Thinking that she had bought herself enough time, she ran as fast as she could over to the Negación that contained Unohana.

"What happened? Where is he?" Retsu hurriedly asked.

"I imprisoned him in layers of ice and a Bakudo, he's not getting out anytime soon." Rukia explained, crinkling consistently as her weakened legs quavered.

"Good, now go and get help." Retsu ordered, "You cannot keep this up."

"I-no, you're right." Rukia admitted, knowing that she was injured and exhausted, "Let me just-"

Rukia's words were cut off as she was slammed against the wall of the Negación, the beast's hand gripped around the back of her head.

"Not anytime soon, huh…?" The Hollow snarled, pushing the girl's face against the barrier with more force.

"Rukia!" Unohana shouted, fearing for the girl. Being unable to do anything angered the woman, but her prison was utterly impenetrable, no matter what she did.

Rukia swung her zanpakuto at the Hollow in desperation, but it was easily caught between the middle gap of his fingers on his free hand, closing his fist around its handguard and hilt.

"This is the end for you, Shinigami." Nizhet snarled, "Your precious sword is no more!"

With a quick twist of his wrist, the blade of her shikai broke at the base, nearly injuring Rukia's wrist from the sheer force. He released her hand and allowed her to keep the hilt of her broken blade.

"Third Dance – Shirafune!" Rukia shouted, holding out her hilt.

Ice began to accumulate on the busted part of her sword, creating a new, replacement blade of ice for her zanpakuto.

"I see…I suppose your spirit is not so easily squashed. In that case, I will have to do this!"

Nizhet slammed Rukia against the barrier once more, but that was not the crux of his attack. The horrible sound of flesh splitting open was audible but Rukia knew she had no additional wounds, which could only mean one thing…

Her eyes widened as she saw the confirmation in front of her; Unohana had been impaled through the gut by the scythed tail of the Hollow. The woman's face was one of sheer bewilderment, one she did not want to ever see again.

"R-ru…kia…" Retsu managed to say, her voice strained and quiet.

"Impressive…I can feel you trying to regenerate the wound, but as long as you stay impaled, you will just bleed to death anyway!" Nizhet remarked.

"N-no…but the Negación…" Rukia muttered, trembling.

How could it have been possible? The Negación being impenetrable was known to all Shinigami, so piercing it should have been impossible. Even if Nizhet had opened a hole to attack through, Rukia knew the woman should have been able to recognize it and avoid any incoming attacks, if not outright escape. Then how…?

"What about it?" The beast growled, "Do you think the mighty barrier broke?"

As if to prove that the barrier was still intact, he began to slide the scythe out of the woman. However, true to his word, she was still impaled, but by the golden energy of the barrier, curved like the tail that had attacked her.

"Y-you…wrapped the Negación around your tail and used it…to attack me…" Retsu sputtered, her weak, quavering hands trying to push her whole body up the exponential curve that was impaling her, but it was no use. "I was…foolish to think you…were merely trying to contain me…"

"Of course! Did you think that I, the progenitor of the skill, was not better at using Negación than those other Hollows that merely imitate my skill?" Nizhet taunted, "The arrogance of you Shinigami is truly awe-inspiring."

"R-ru…kia…run while you…while you still can…" Unohana coughed up a bit of blood as she tried to speak.

"N-no…No! Mommy!" Rukia shouted, fear of a level she had never felt before spreading through her body.

The slightest of smiles managed to break across the woman's face as her eyes closed, arms going slack at her sides.

With a swing of his shoulders, Nizhet threw the Shinigami, who tumbled across the dirt and snow, her blade of ice shattering from the impact. Trembling, she managed to get back to her feet, breathing heavily.

"No! You…you hurt her…hurt my Mommy!" Rukia shouted as her anger boiled over, her words accompanied by a torrent of tears pouring down her face.

Without a word, her sword formed another blade of ice, which she gripped tightly as she ran for the Hollow. An intense, guttural shout of emotional pain came from her mouth as she ran across the clearing.

"Had I known I was interrupting your family bonding time…I would have done that sooner!" The Vasto Lorde mocked as he shot multiple Bala at the charging Shinigami.

Rukia saw the panoply of energy pellets, but did not waver. Most missed her lithe form, but not all. The ones that hit their mark went ignored, her resolve and anger too much to care about the pain the projectiles caused.

Upon reaching the Hollow, she swung her blade, the ice shattering harmlessly on the forearms he used to block. Yet, before she had even finished her swinging motion, she had repaired her shikai with ice once more and swung again. This barrage continued, each swing shattering the blade of ice but then regrowing, even as it was clear that she could not cut through his strong, iron-like flesh.

Growing annoyed, the Hollow tried to hit the hilt of the blade out of Rukia's hand. The Shinigami, however, grabbed the bottom of the ribbon before it left her reach and cascaded a wave of ice over it, making it rigid enough to swing back towards the Hollow.

"Enough!" The Hollow bellowed, kicking Rukia away, "These attacks are so weak as to be annoying. If you have no more tricks up your sleeve, then just die so I can feast on your bloody corpse."

"Tricks, huh?" Rukia muttered as she got back to her feet, "In that case…Fourth Dance – Shiraniwa!"

Nizhet waited for her attack, anticipating some other ineffective attempt to wound him. However, nothing seemed to happen; that is, until a large chunk of ice fell from the sky in front of him.

"Did you really think that hail would be enough to wound me, let alone stop me?" Nizhet snarled.

"Hail? Not at all." Rukia answered, a knowing smile on her face. "My Fourth Dance focuses on flecks and pieces of ice created by my shikai's techniques and causes them to expand into flower-shaped chunks of ice."

Nizhet looked down at the soccer ball-sized piece of ice, and sure enough, it was shaped like the bulb of some sort of flower.

"I fail to see the significance…" He taunted, another flower of ice shattering on his bony mask. "They are as weak as your other attacks, if not moreso."

"The significance, is that when multiple shards are in close proximity, they combine before expanding, each one adding to the size of the flower formed…" Rukia replied, not even wincing as a lily-shaped flower formed on her shoulder, its razor sharp "petals" slicing her cheek in a few places.

The Hollow looked to the sky quickly, looking for any enormous balls of ice falling to the earth. However, he saw nothing of the sort; many flowers had grown along the ground and in the air, but they were all about the same soccer ball size, completely harmless to him even with the speed in which they fell.

"Tell me, Hollow, how many times did you shatter my blade of ice against your arms during our little melee there…twenty, thirty?" Rukia asked, a smug smirk growing on her face, "Each of those thirty blades splintered into so many shards…so close to where you were standing. I wonder…how many of those shards do you think just floated down your throat naturally…?

The Hollow tightly gripped his torso as he realized what she was getting at. "No! You wench! I am Nizhet! I am a Vasto Lorde! You cannot beat me!" Golden energy began to collect on his chest, attempting to launch another Cero, "I am invincibl-aaaaaaaaagh!" The entire area quaked violently as the ice flower quickly grew in his gut, bursting forth from within as if he was made of tissue paper. The flower was at least five meters in diameter and shaped like a rose, fittingly red as it was coated in the Hollow's blood.

"How's that for a trick, you monster?" Rukia asked rhetorically as her shikai faded back into its sealed state. The blade was still broken, but that was nothing some time in its sheath would not fix. "Rest up, Sode no Shirayuki, you've earned it."

Despite her victory, Rukia could not celebrate. She ran to where the Negación was, watching it fade away from the death of its caster. Unohana was on her back, a puddle of blood below her. Tears in her eyes, Rukia began feeling for a pulse, a sigh of relief and worry as she found one. It was weak, though, as were the woman's shallow breaths, signaling that there was no point in celebrating yet. With the Captain unconscious, though, she was unable to regenerate herself, which meant that her wound was going to just continue pooling blood below her until she died anyway.

Rukia continued to panic, until reason finally overtook her; she had healing artes training, taught by the greatest healer the Soul Society had ever known! Calming her inner turmoil, Rukia rested her palms over the wound and began to concentrate. Immediately it was obvious just how much more difficult an actual body was to heal compared to various strips of that special canvas she had used in training.

"Please…I can't lose you…" Rukia pleaded, tears falling from her chin and into the blood pooling below the woman.

Her energy was able to close the wound, healing the various layers. However, she had no way of knowing if she had done it right: connecting veins to veins, muscle tissue to muscle tissue, etc. If she had messed that up, it did not matter whether the wound was closed or not, the woman would just die in another, possibly more painful way. She was still breathing, which was the only sign Rukia could see at the moment, good or bad.

"I-I need you, Mommy…Please…" Rukia laid against the unconscious woman as she continued crying.

"There is…nothing left I can teach you…" A strained voice said suddenly, "You have…passed my training…"

Rukia immediately jerked back up, seeing the smiling face of Unohana staring back at her. She had certainly seen better days, but she was clearly going to be alright, especially once her own regenerative abilities did their thing. Rukia smiled as more tears poured down her face. She had so many things she wanted to say, but she was unable to find the words. A combination of her own injuries, her exertion, and perhaps even missing naptime, caused Rukia to collapse against the Captain's body, passing out nearly immediately.

"Rest up, Rukia, you have earned it." Retsu said quietly, rubbing the girl's back.

-~-  
One Month Later  
-~-

Retsu Unohana surveyed the materials on her bed, making sure everything was there; a full set of underwear, her Shihakusho, her hair ties and hair brush. Sure enough, it was all there. The woman was only wearing her bathrobe at the moment, having just stepped out of a relaxing bath. Her hair was not even restrained in its usual front ponytail, allowed to flow freely down her back. With a tug, her robe was untied and fell to the floor. She glanced over at the clock before glancing at her clothes again.

"…Rukia, are you getting ready?" Retsu shouted from her bedroom.

"…Yes!" Came the response, after a worryingly long pause. As well, it seemed to come from somewhere else entirely than where it should have.

The woman glanced at the clock, back over to the multiple items and thought about how long it would take to get ready, and then back to the clock. With a sigh, she hefted her bathrobe back into place and tied a loose knot.

She exited her bedroom and headed for where she thought the girl's voice had come from, the study. Sure enough, Rukia was sitting in the middle of the makeshift playpen, navigating her stuffed rabbit through towers of blocks, making noises suggesting that the rabbit was a Godzilla-like creature. She was wearing a white onesie, thickly diapered underneath, with a clipped pacifier in her mouth.

"Rukia…" The woman spoke from the doorframe, tapping her foot.

"Eep…" Rukia muttered, her pacifier falling out of her mouth.

"You were supposed to be getting ready, she will be here any minute." Retsu chided.

"I-I know, but-"

"No buts. Put your toys away and get ready." The woman ordered.

Rukia knew not to argue now, getting to her spread feet to begin cleaning up. Retsu nodded and began to head back to her room, but stopped when she saw the way Rukia waddled.

"Oh, Rukia…" Unohana said with a sigh.

"Wh-what…?" Rukia muttered knowingly.

"You are supposed to tell me if you need to use the potty." The woman said.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't want to bother you." The girl argued, shifting her foot against the ground.

"Rukia…tell the truth now."

"…I just didn't want to stop playing…" She eventually relented.

"Good girl for telling the truth." Retsu said, "But how do you expect to get pottytrained again if you do not try to make it to the potty? You know I am more than happy to change as many of your diapers as I need to when you stay with me, but you still must be pottytrained for your life outside my home."

"I-I know…" Rukia acknowledged.

"Or else I would have to speak with Captain Ukitake and have him assign someone to you in case you need to be changed while on duty." Retsu explained, "Do you want that?"

"No!" She quickly assured, blushing a bit.

"Heh, I did not think so." The woman said, smiling, "Just keep that in mind next time you do not want to use the potty."

"I-I will, Mommy." Rukia said.

"Good girl." Retsu stepped into the play area to give the girl a kiss on the forehead. "We do not have much time, so it seems I will have to help you get ready."

Not waiting for a response, the woman bent down and lifted the padded girl into her arms, cradling her against her chest. Rukia began mulling her thoughts, a recurring one coming to mind once more. She summoned her courage and decided to speak her mind.

"Umm, I-I want to try something…" She muttered as the woman stepped out of the playpen.

"And what is that, dear?" Retsu asked.

Thinking it better to just show the woman rather than try to explain it, Rukia reached over and tugged the bathrobe of her surrogate mother, causing it to slide down a bit and expose the woman's sizable chest. Wasting no time lest she chicken out, Rukia shifted over and wrapped her mouth around the exposed nipple. It was just as good as she had hoped, better than any pacifier, bottle or her own thumb, even if she was not rewarded with a meal for her efforts.

A small blush spread on the woman's normally stoic countenance, before she quickly regained her composure. "Yes, well…I am fine with it, as long as you do realize I have no milk to give you."

Rukia heard the Captain's words, but was far too engaged in her current action to give them much thought. She was more than happy to suckle, even if she was not given milk, it was not as if she expected it when she leaned in. She felt as if her body was sinking into the woman's plush robe, overcome with pleasant comfort.

Time passed, but Rukia had no idea how much; it seemed so irrelevant when compared to the pleasant, rhythmic suckling. Eventually, though, she felt herself move away from the nipple, too far to reach even if she craned her neck. A line of drool connecting her lips to the nipple was as close as she was going to get.

"Alright, sweetheart, I think that is enough for now." Unohana gently spoke, giving the girl a moment to adjust to her surroundings once more.

They were in the nursery now, Retsu having sat down on a chair in the room to allow Rukia to continue to nurse.

"Enjoy yourself?" The woman asked as she adjusted her robe back into place.

"Uh-huh!" Rukia nodded enthusiastically as she wiped her face.

"I thought so." Retsu mused, "If I did not stop you, I think you would have continued forever."

"Not forever…" Rukia mumbled.

"Heh, yes, well, Miss Inoue will be here any minute, so either I get you changed now or you can wait and she can do it."

"No!" Rukia emphatically declared, "I-I'm not ready for that…"

"She did change you before, you remember." The woman reminded her.

"Y-yes, but that was back when this was a punishment…It's different now." Rukia explained, "Especially since we…" she trailed off.

"Okay, okay, I get it." Unohana relented, "But you know that I may need to call on her if you need a babysitter. I do not think Isane will be up to it after what happened last week…"

"I-It was an accident!" She argued, "It's just…once that cold wipe touched me, it just came out…and I couldn't stop the flow…"

"Yes, well, Isane is still…gun-shy from that incident, so you may not have a choice." Unohana explained.

"Then I'd rather you do it now and we tackle that situation if it actually comes up later." Rukia said.

"Fair enough, honey." Retsu said as she laid the girl on the changing table.

With a few loud snaps, the onesie was opened to expose the wet padding, the bunnies having mostly faded away. The onesie was pulled up and over her head, leaving just the diaper for coverage. Suddenly and with no warning, the woman reached down and began to tickle the girl's exposed stomach.

"H-hey, stop, hehe!" Rukia tried to say between her giggles.

"I am so sorry dear, but I cannot understand you when you talk like that." Retsu teased, using her other hand to begin tickling her side as well.

"Hehehe! N-no fa-hahahah…n-no fair! Hahaha!" Rukia could barely speak between her laughs, her legs kicking wildly and out of her control.

"You are speaking more like a baby than a toddler now, my little one." The woman teased further, continuing her tickling barrage.

"M-mooooommy! Hehehehe! I-I give-hahahaha-up!"

"Oh, well in that case." Retsu smiled and began to gradually slow down and reduce the amount of tickling, until the girl was able to speak freely again.

"Hmmph, you always do the tickle attack when I least expect it." Rukia muttered, faking a pout.

"Oh shush, you know you like it, dear." Retsu smiled.

"Well…maybe…" She girl admitted with a smile.

"So, dear, have you two kissed yet?" Retsu suddenly asked, beginning to remove the tapes of the wet diaper.

"M-mommy! Stoooooop!" Rukia whined, her face turning red from a reason other than raucous laughter.

"It is a mother's job to meddle in her daughter's love life, dear, you know that." Retsu said, rubbing the girl's hair.

"E-even so…you know we haven't! We're still friends…good friends."

"For now." The woman added, sliding the used diaper out from under the girl and tossing it out. "Have you perhaps considered that she is waiting for you to make that move? You know how she feels about you, so she is waiting until you are comfortable and feel the same way for her."

"That's…possible." The petite Shinigami admitted, "But still…I just think that we're still friends…"

"If you say so, honey." Retsu said none too convincingly, wiping the girl clean with a wet wipe.

Once she was clean, Retsu helped the nude Shinigami off of the changing table and onto her feet. The woman pulled a package out of the cabinet and opened it up, taking one of the pull-ups out. Rukia had been quite glad to learn a few days previous that she could fit into the largest size of toddler training briefs, which meant she could go about her pottytraining in something much better than the thin, cheap, medical briefs.

"Okay, first leg." Unohana said as she held the brief open near the floor.

Rukia stepped her first leg into the brief, followed by the second. Retsu tugged the garment up her legs and into place, a perfectly snug fit. They were very childish looking, pink on the sides with a bunny design on the front. Since they were meant for actual toddlers, the bunny on these pull-ups was actually the character of Chappy, as opposed to the generic rabbit designs on her diapers.

The sound of the doorbell echoing through the halls pulled Rukia from her thoughts and signaled Orihime's arrival.

"Come i-Just one minute!" Retsu yelled to their visitor, looking at Rukia's state of undress. "It looks like we had better hurry, dear."

Rukia realized that this was not the time to gawk at her own adorable training brief and nodded. As cute as it was, she did not want to be seen in it by Orihime…even if it was going to be inevitable.

Looking through the closet, Retsu pulled out a simple dress for Rukia. It was blue, with orange bands at the hem and sleeve ends, covered in a hexagon pattern. The woman helped her into a bra followed by the dress, adjusting it to make sure it was fitted properly. Once done, Rukia plopped down on her lightly padded bottom and began to put some socks and appropriate shoes on.

"Come dear, let's not keep her waiting." Unohana said, heading for the door of the nursery.

Following behind the woman, Rukia felt butterflies begin to flip around inside her. They were happy butterflies, though, happy for what was coming instead of fearing it.

"Good morning, Miss Inoue." Retsu said as she opened the door.

"Hello, Captain Unohana. Hey Rukia." The brunette said in a cheerful tone. She was wearing a yellow short sleeved shirt as well as a pair of teal leggings that reached to her ankles.

"How are you, dear?" The woman asked.

"I'm great, especially with a week off from school." Orihime responded, "But more importantly, how are you? I heard that it was a pretty serious injury."

"Oh, I'm just fine, thanks to our little healer here." Retsu smiled as she placed a hand on Rukia's head.

"I-I didn't do all that much…" She blushed from the praise, "All I did was close the wound, your regenerative abilities did most of the healing work after that."

"Even so, I would not be here were it not for you." Unohana replied.

"I-I guess, but still…we should probably get going now…" Rukia said as she tried to push the conversation away from herself.

"Oh? And do you plan on wearing that one dress and nothing else for the entire week?" The woman asked.

"Huh?…Oh! I'll go get my d-my bag." Rukia said as she realized all her necessities for the week were left in the nursery.

"And go to the potty, too. It's a long walk to Miss Inoue's home." Retsu said as Rukia was heading back to her room.

"Moooooom!" Rukia whined, "...Okay, I'll try…" She muttered as she realized it was sound advice.

Once Rukia was out of earshot, Retsu turned to Orihime. "Now then, no matter she says or what she says I said, Rukia is not ready for panties yet. Even if she goes the entire week without an accident, her graduation from training pants is my decision, not hers or yours. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am. I don't want my furniture stained either." Orihime responded with a small giggle.

"Yes, well, on that note, be sure to ask her frequently if she needs to go." Retsu continued, "And while I do not want you doing something you are not comfortable with, you should probably check her pull-ups every so often. I am afraid she will be too embarrassed to tell you if she has an accident."

"Oh, okay." Orihime nodded, committing this to memory. "Anything else?"

"Make sure she is diapered for bed and any naps she may take. If you have to check her to make sure she is diapering herself and doing it properly, then so be it; those pull-ups cannot withstand how much she goes when sleeping." Retsu explained, "If you see her drifting off, make sure to remind her, and if she falls asleep in a pull-up, I would advise that you diaper her yourself, even if that just means you put a diaper on over her training brief."

"O-Oh, okay, that makes sense." Orihime responded, blushing at the thought of what truly diapering her sleeping friend would entail.

"One last thing." Unohana said, "If you go out for any extended period of time, my suggestion is to try and convince her to wear diapers. It might not be so easy to get her to a bathroom on time. It is up to you two, though."

"Understood, ma'am." Orihime responded, still absorbed in her previous thoughts.

"What are you guys talking about?" Rukia asked as she bounded back into the room.

"Nothing you need to worry about, dear." Retsu started, "Did you use the potty?"

"Y-yes…" She quietly answered.

"Good girl." The woman responded, having to stop herself from flipping the girl's dress to check on the condition of her pull-up.

Rukia blushed a bit at the praise and adjusted the diaper bag's position on her shoulder. It was clearly quite full, bulging in spots where supplies were shoved in. Chappy the stuffed bunny poked its upper half out of one of the side pockets, too large to fully fit into the pocket.

"Are you ready?" Orihime asked.

"Uh-huh!" The Shinigami responded, moving towards the door.

"Are you girls sure you do not want me to walk you to the Senkaimon? I would just need a minute to get dressed." Retsu asked.

"No, Mom, we'll be fine." Rukia answered.

"Okay, I understand. Have a fun week, sweetie." Unohana responded, bending down a bit to hug the girl and give her a kiss on the cheek. "Be good."

"I will, Mom. See you in a week." Rukia said as she returned the hug. She had wanted to argue that she did not need to be told to behave, but realized that it was no big deal.

Rukia took Orihime's hand in her own and began to walk out the door. After a few steps, she turned and waved.

"Bye Mom!" "Goodbye Captain Unohana!" The two girls said as they walked away.

"Goodbye girls." The woman responded, leaning against the doorjamb as she watched them walk away.

Retsu could not help the notice the stark contrast in the girl she considered a daughter; just minutes ago Rukia was wearing a wet diaper and suckling on the woman's breast, and yet here she is now dressed almost like an adult, walking hand in hand and about to spend a week together with her girlfriend.

She smiled as she began to close the door behind her. "They grow up so fast."


End file.
